The James Bond franchise is entering uncharted waters. The series of films and books has been acquired by Amazon, prompting a fierce battle between the studio that now owns it and the Broccoli family, which holds creative control over the character and the story.
According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, there's a tension brewing between Barbara Broccoli and Amazon. Broccoli is Bond's main producer and a pivotal figure in the character's history, inheriting the rights to the story ever since the death of her father, Albert R. Broccoli.
The report claims Broccoli believes she “can hold Bond hostage from Amazon for as long as she sees fit”
it also says that she believes Amazon is not a good fit for Bond. “Don’t have temporary people make permanent decisions,” she's reportedly said.
“These people are f— idiots," Broccoli has reportedly said to her friends.
Amazon was reportedly interested in pursuing different routes for Bond, suggesting many ideas for tie-ins and spin-offs of the original films, including TV shows, narratives exploring characters like Moneypenny, or spinoffs with a female 007 agent. Broccoli appears to be uninterested in any of these options.
Reports claim that while she's open to casting a Bond of a different sexuality or race, she believes the role should be portrayed by a man.
What Amazon wants to do with Bond
Amazon bought MGM, the studio with rights to the James Bond franchise, in 2022. It paid 8.5 billion for access to the franchise and other classics and beloved movies like "Rocky" and "Legally Blonde."
It appears like the company doesn't believe in casting an unknown actor for the part of Bond, something that Broccoli did to great success with Daniel Craig, launching a generation of Bond films that were beloved and are considered by many to be the best films in the franchise's history.
Broccoli was also annoyed by the fact that Amazon reportedly referred to Bond as "content" in one of their meetings.
Earlier this year, Aaron Taylor Johnson was one of the names considered for the role of Bond, but in recent months the rumors have decreased. As of this writing, we know nothing and Bond's future remains undecided.