Amazon’s Grip on James Bond: A New Era or the End?
A photograph of British actor Daniel Craig is displayed on a phone screen next to an Amazon logo displayed on a laptop screen, created in London. ©Justin Tallis / AFP

Amazon’s takeover of the James Bond franchise has sparked debate, raising concerns about the future of 007. With creative control shifting from the Broccoli family to Amazon, questions arise over whether the spy saga will retain its essence or transform into a blockbuster universe.

James Bond in the hands of an American company: shock horror! Amazon's takeover of Britain's iconic Bond franchise has Her Majesty's subjects worried, with some wondering whether 007 still has a future.

After months of wrangling between the films' producers and Amazon MGM Studio, extensively reported in the British press, the final blow fell on Thursday: the American giant will now preside over the destiny of the world's best-known spy.

And it can do as it pleases—the Broccoli family, which has until now defended the franchise that exported the myth of MI6 glamour worldwide, has ceded creative control to Amazon.

This move has shaken media in the spy's homeland: the day after the deal was announced, The Independent questioned whether Amazon had "buried" the franchise by taking control.

Meanwhile, articles in The Times and The Telegraph newspapers declared that James Bond will "never" be the same.

Amazon's exact intentions for the franchise remain unknown.

What is certain, though, is that "Amazon wants a return on their investment," Chloe Preece, a professor of marketing at London's ESCP Business School, told AFP.

To make good on the deal, Amazon is likely to create "spin-offs" or "prequels" as well as capitalize on merchandising, Preece said.

Jeff Bezos's group acquired legendary studio MGM in 2022 for $8.45 billion, but the Broccoli family retained exclusive control of the James Bond brand under it.

007 with a Marvel Twist

According to The Times, Amazon shelled out another $1 billion to producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to wrest creative rights.

The financial terms of the deal have not been confirmed by Amazon.

James Bond is going to become "more corporate. The volume (of films) will change," estimated Tom Harrington, who works at Enders Analysis, a firm providing entertainment industry insights.

Wilson and Broccoli, guarding the character who has shaped British cinema since the 1960s, have long resisted spin-offs and licensing deals they felt might tarnish the franchise.

Barbara Broccoli has worked with four different actors in the role of 007—Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig—and described her tenure as "dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy" inherited from her father, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli.

"It has always been an exclusive, premium, old-fashioned brand," said marketing expert Adrian Mediavilla, with an average movie release time of "around five years."

Amazon, on the other hand, "wants to build an ecosystem, a galaxy like Marvel or Super Mario," according to Mediavilla.

To achieve this, the studio could create new characters and storylines. "There is enough content," said Preece.

And enough fans as well. "There is a huge fandom," said Preece, adding that audiences are "desperately" awaiting the next film.

The last installment, No Time to Die—the 25th James Bond movie and Craig's swan song—earned $775 million at the box office.

James Bond Gone 'Woke'?

There is a risk of over-exploiting the franchise and, in turn, weakening its impact.

To maintain James Bond’s identity, it will be necessary to "stay true to the brand’s heritage" and the character created seven decades ago by English author Ian Fleming, Mediavilla emphasized.

"The Broccolis have been careful, with a tight team of people who truly knew the brand. They chose the directors, they protected it," Preece said.

However, Amazon, like its competitors Netflix and Disney, operates with an extensive pool of scriptwriters who inevitably rotate in and out.

For some, the real danger lies elsewhere. British tabloids worry that James Bond is becoming "woke."

"When you look at the brand's evolution, one might say it has gone woke," said Preece, arguing that the Bond played by Daniel Craig has almost nothing in common with the one portrayed by Sean Connery or Roger Moore.

"They have evolved with the times," she added.

Screenwriters have toned down Bond's caddish nature and his regular misogynistic remarks, while the latest films have tried to portray him as a more sensitive figure.

According to Preece, Amazon may even explore creating a Bond Girl series.

Yet, the biggest losers could be movie theaters. James Bond films have always been cinematic events, yet Amazon could now bypass theatrical releases altogether and debut new movies directly on its Prime Video streaming platform.

With AFP

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