Amazon officially takes over 'James Bond' franchise
What's the story
In a major change for the legendary James Bond franchise, producers and siblings Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson are exiting.
Amazon MGM Studios will now take over the reins of the franchise; notably, Amazon acquired MGM Studios—the distributor of Bond films—in 2022.
This marks the end of an era for the Broccoli family, who have overseen the franchise since its inception over 60 years ago by Albert "Cubby" Broccoli.
Ownership details
Broccoli-Wilson duo to retain co-ownership of Bond franchise
Despite stepping down from their creative roles, Broccoli and Wilson will remain co-owners of the James Bond franchise.
In a joint statement with Amazon, they revealed their decision to let Amazon MGM Studios take over creative control.
Wilson said he agreed with this decision, adding it was time for their "trusted partner" to lead James Bond into the future after his own 007 career spanned nearly 60 incredible years.
Legacy reflection
Broccoli reflected on her journey with the Bond franchise
Reflecting on her journey with the Bond franchise, Broccoli said, "My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father."
She also spoke about working closely with four incredible actors who played Agent 007 and thousands of wonderful artists in the industry.
With Wilson retiring from films after No Time to Die's conclusion, she thought it was time to focus on other projects.
Casting search
Amazon's search for next James Bond underway
Now, the responsibility of deciding the next actor to play the iconic spy falls on Amazon.
This comes after Daniel Craig's final performance as James Bond in No Time to Die, which earned nearly $800 million at the global box office.
According to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the search for the next 007 is already underway. However, no timeline has been set for the casting or production of future installments in the series.