After more than sixty years, the Brocolli family has relinquished creative control over the most lucrative franchise of all time. What does this mean for 007?
Update: After it was announced that Amazon MGM Studios had taken control of the James Bond franchise, Daniel Craig released a statement to Variety in support of Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, whose family has overseen the franchise since the very beginning.
“My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished,” Craig said. “I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.“
The actor played 007 in the last five James Bond movies, and now that Amazon is in charge, he may very well be regarded as the last “real” Bond.
— Original article follows —
It’s finally happened—after rumours of discord between Amazon/MGM and the Broccoli family, who have been the creative stewards of the 007 franchise since its big-screen debut in 1962, the fate of 007 is in someone else’s hands. As reported by Deadline, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have established a new venture with Amazon/ MGM that hands over the series reins to Amazon/MGM, with them taking a back seat creatively.
While not wholly unexpected, this kind of news should send a chill down the spine of James Bond fans everywhere. One of the reasons the 007 franchise has lasted so long is that the Broccoli family has always had their finger on the pulse of what made the character so legendary. Despite changing attitudes, they refused multiple entreaties to spin the character off into various franchises and remained steadfast to the key tenets of the character.
Without Barbara Broccoli, who’s been the chief creative force behind the series since her father, Albert R. Broccoli, passed away in 1996, the Bond series may well lose some of its lustre. One of the things that’s made the 007 franchise last so long is its scarcity. With a conglomerate like Amazon owning the rights, it seems likely they won’t be able to resist the idea of spinning its (valuable) IP into an extended universe. What does this mean? Basically, we shouldn’t be surprised to see Bond-adjacent spin-off movies or TV shows (can a Moneypenny series or a Q spin-off be far away?).
This is bad news for Bond fans, as we’ve always had full confidence in Barbara Broccoli’s stewardship. She memorably championed Daniel Craig’s hiring as 007 for Casino Royale. Michael G. Wilson, for his part, has been part of the 007 franchise since the Roger Moore era, having co-written all the 007 movies, from For Your Eyes Only to Licence to Kill. Albert R. Broccoli’s step-son, like Barbara, has remained a steadfast advocate for the character, and thanks to the two of them, some of the daffier ideas floated their way (let’s make James Bond a woman! Or American!), never came to pass.
In a statement, Wilson said the following, “With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects. Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
While it’s not a surprise to see Wilson, who’s 83, step away, Barbara Broccoli, who’s known to have strong opinions about the direction of the franchise, seemed committed to staying the course for decades to come. Here’s what she had to say, “My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli. I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
As JoBlo’s resident James Bond fanatic, I do not like this news. While Amazon/MGM have a solid track record, I don’t think they’ll be able to resist the urge to expand the 007 universe or (even worse) fundamentally alter the hero to the point that he’ll be unrecognizable. I hope I’m wrong, but only time will tell.
