On Thursday, the world of many viewers was shaken to its core. James Bond was no longer a British national treasure. Control over the character had been taken over by Americans—specifically, Jeff Bezos and his Amazon. This marks an entirely new chapter in the history of the franchise.
Who Should Play James Bond? – Jeff Bezos Asks
For many years, creative control over the James Bond franchise was in the hands of Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. After Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, the company initially only obtained the rights to distribute the films. Now, that has changed.
Technically speaking, Amazon has created a new legal entity that will oversee James Bond. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will be part of it, but in reality, all decisions regarding the franchise’s future will be made by Amazon.
This new era was signaled by Amazon’s owner, Jeff Bezos, who took to Instagram to directly ask the world: Who should play James Bond? Fans flooded the post with responses. The big question now is whether Bezos and his team will actually listen.
“It Felt Like News of a Death in the Family”
The news that Wilson and Broccoli had relinquished creative control over James Bond has already drawn a reaction from the latest Bond actor, Daniel Craig.
“My respect, admiration, and love for Barbara and Michael remain unchanged. I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well-deserved) retirement. As for Barbara, whatever ventures she takes on, I know they will be spectacular, and I hope to be a part of them.”
Meanwhile, Deadline reached out to Broccoli’s friends and colleagues, who shared how they found out about the shocking shift in the Bond universe. It was Barbara Broccoli herself who called most of them to prepare them for the media storm that was about to erupt.
One source revealed that hearing the news from the Bond producer felt “like hearing about the death of a family member.”
Other insiders mentioned that while there was a detectable anger in her voice over how things had unfolded, she remained calm—perhaps even resigned.
Some wonder whether Amazon will be able to find a producer capable of taking control of the franchise and crafting a new, cohesive vision. Not everyone seems convinced that the corporation is up to the task.
