James Bond Producers Reject Pitches Before Giving Amazon Control

There were multiple propositions for the James Bond franchise when Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli were still the producers. However, the pair reportedly rejected every single one of them.

The James Bond franchise is one of cinema’s longest-running and most successful film franchises, based on Ian Fleming’s spy novels. The franchise has produced films since 1962, with Sean Connery’s Dr. No as its debut flick. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are the producers behind EON Productions, which has controlled the James Bond film rights since the beginning. The two are the stepchildren of Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, the co-founder of EON Productions and the producer responsible for establishing the Bond film legacy. Wilson and Broccoli, through EON Productions and its parent company Danjaq, LLC, owned the rights to produce James Bond films; however, that changed last month.

Related

Austrian Businessman Challenges Trademark Ownership Of James Bond

An Austrian businessman wants to own the James Bond franchise to ensure it lives on.

According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, when Wilson and Broccoli still had the creative reins for the James Bond franchise, Amazon made several propositions after its $8.5 billion purchase of MGM, James Bond’s longtime home. Amazon reportedly wanted to convert James Bond into a “Marvel-style universe” with TV spinoffs, including one centered around Miss Moneypenny. However, the duo, who have been involved in the franchise for decades, didn’t like the idea and turned down each one of them. Part of the report read:

Wilson eventually retired and left Broccoli alone, who subsequently got tired of Amazon’s antics and decided to step back. According to the report, Broccoli got exhausted from the “endless studio battles or the years-long Bond production marathons,” and without a clear successor, she decided to let it go. However, Broccoli was reportedly paid nearly $1 billion for her departure. The outlet added that something happened in December when The Wall Street Journal published an article quoting Barbara allegedly telling friends that the Amazon executives were “f****ng idiots.” The report did not go well with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. According to the insiders, “He read her quote in the Journal and got on the phone and said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, get rid of her.’” Bezos reportedly paid nearly a billion to have the creative control from Broccoli.

Amazon having creative control over the James Bond franchise has raised some eyebrows. Some are concerned that they would commercialize or oversaturate the franchise by pushing for spin-offs, TV shows, or frequent releases to drive more subscribers, which is likely the case. Obviously, ardent fans are not supportive of this move because overexposure could reduce the brand’s prestige. Also, following the MCU‘s approach, such as introducing interconnected stories and expanded content, is a major departure from traditional standalone films. Broccoli previously said she wanted to make the franchise an exclusive theatrical experience and would not develop it for streaming services or a rushed production model. It seems that the rumored beef between Broccoli and Amazon is true, and the feud eventually led the former to surrender the creative rights to the latter.

More

Oscar’s James Bond Tribute ‘Cool’ But ‘Has No Relevance’; Viewers Confused About Performances, Prefer New Movie Announcement

The lengthy James Bond tribute during the Oscars ceremony raised eyebrows, with many saying it was irrelevant.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter