It’s been nearly four years since Universal debuted No Time to Die, the last film featuring Daniel Craig’s James Bond. Considering the film’s ending, it is an opportunity to reinvent the character for a much-anticipated revival. However, an alleged feud between the producers of the James Bond franchise and Amazon is gumming up the works. According to The Wall Street Journal, there is a stalemate between Amazon MGM Studios and EON Productions, which maintained complete creative control over Ian Fleming’s legendary superspy. The outlet suggests “more than 20 people familiar with the Broccoli-Amazon feud, including executives, business partners and friends” are involved in the standstill, with a frustrated Barbara Broccoli saying,“these people are f**king morons.”
Problems around what to do with James Bond reportedly go back to when Amazon merged with MGM in 2022. The Wall Street Journal‘s report says people at Amazon pitched various 007 TV spinoffs, with all concerned eager to get the Bond train rolling as soon as possible. Still, with EON Productions holding all the martinis (shaken, not stirred), a divide emerged, with the studio remaining adamant about not letting the James Bond IP go sideways because of hasty decisions.
Another element of why 007’s return remains problematic is the high-pressure task of replacing Daniel Craig as James Bond. Allegedly, Amazon and EON Productions have different ideas about who the next James Bond could be. While EON is cool with casting an unknown actor in the role, Amazon-MGM wants someone more recognizable, with Bullet Train and The Fall Guy actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson possibly being eyed for the part.
It’s important to remember that the comments in WSJ‘s article come from unnamed sources, so take all of this with a grain of salt. With any luck, and likely a lot of bickering and red tape, Amazon-MGM and EON can agree about 007’s future, whether it concerns a new feature film or television spinoff series. It stands to reason that every moment the studios waste in locking horns is a missed opportunity to cash in on one of the most legendary characters in film and fiction.
Who would you cast as the next James Bond? Should the story occur after No Time to Die or introduce a new timeline? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
