James Bond bosses ‘clashing with Amazon bigwigs over plans to turn 007 into Marvel-style franchise’
James Bond bosses ‘clashing with Amazon bigwigs over plans to turn 007 into Marvel-style franchise’
The streaming giant, which announced its plans to acquire MGM Studios in May, is said to be hoping to make several spin-offs from the film franchiseHowever Eon Productions, the British company that owns the rights to the James Bond films, is against the ideaAmazon reportedly hopes to turn James Bond into a media franchise similar to the Marvel filmsThe inside added that talks will pick up pace once Amazon’s deal goes through but Eon bosses are not interested in the changes According to an Amazon spokesperson, the deal isn’t closed and the two companies continue to operate separately
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James Bond bosses are reportedly clashing with Amazon bigwigs over plans for the action franchise.
The streaming giant, which announced its plans to acquire MGM Studios in May, is said to be hoping to make several spin-offs from the film franchise.
However Eon Productions, the British company that owns the rights to the James Bond films, is against the idea, reports The Sun.
Loggerheads: James Bond bosses are reportedly clashing with Amazon bigwigs over plans for the action franchise
The publication reports that Amazon hopes to turn James Bond into a media franchise similar to the Marvel films.
A source said: ‘It’s very early days but there are ideas being considered including looking at prequels based on Charlie Higson’s book series Young Bond.
‘These are set when the character is at Eton. There are even thoughts about whether other characters could appear elsewhere, but Eon are dead against it.
‘They want to keep it purely as blockbuster cinema, which already makes huge amounts of money. Yet spin-offs could make it even more lucrative.’
Changes: The streaming giant, which announced its plans to acquire MGM Studios in May, is said to be hoping to make several spin-offs from the film franchise
The inside added that talks will pick up pace once Amazon’s deal goes through but Eon bosses are not interested in the changes.
According to an Amazon spokesperson, the deal isn’t closed and the two companies continue to operate separately.
MailOnline has contacted Eon Productions for comment.
It comes after an Oscar-nominated screenwriter who penned two James Bond movies has pleaded with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos not to meddle with his newly-acquired spy franchise’s creative processes.
John Logan, 59, who received also Academy Award nominations for Gladiator, The Aviator and Hugo, said he felt a ‘chill’ when he learned Amazon had purchased MGM Studios for $8.45billion.
Logan says he fears Amazon could try and interfere with the series’ trademark violent plots, or push for spin-off series that could dilute the Bond brand.
Franchise: However Eon Productions, the British company that owns the rights to the James Bond films, is against the idea, reports The Sun
Writing a guest essay for the New York Times, Logan said the Bond films were a ‘family business’ that had been carefully nurtured by producers Barbara Broccoli, whose late father Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli is credited as the mastermind behind the success of the long-running franchise, and her half-brother Michael Wilson.
Logan said Bond’s enduring appeal was that it had protected the Bond character ‘through the thickets of moviemaking and changing public tastes’.
Logan acknowledged the Amazon-MGM deal included ‘ironclad assurances of continued artistic control’, but questioned what guarantees there were that these would remain in place.
Screenwriter John Logan pleaded with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos not to meddle with the spy franchise’s creative processes
‘What happens if a bruising corporation like Amazon begins to demand a voice in the process? What happens to the comradeship and quality control if there’s an Amazonian overlord with analytics parsing every decision? What happens when a focus group reports they don’t like Bond drinking martinis? Or killing quite so many people?’
And he pleaded with the studio’s new tech overlords: ‘Please let 007 drink his martinis in peace. Don’t shake him, don’t stir him.’
Broccoli and Wilson inherited the the production rights from Albert in 1995. they have been credited with nurturing the franchise through movies starring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Crag.
007 films continue to be so popular that movie theater bosses hoping the latest installment, No Time To Die, will revitalize the COVID-ravaged movie theater industry when it is released in November after multiple pandemic delays.
The rights to the Bond movies were shared by MGM and Eon Productions, owned by the half-siblings. MGM’s share now passes to Amazon but Broccoli and Wilson will keep a firm grip on the creative side, from plot to director and who gets to play the suave MI6 agent, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Barbara Broccoli was on the set nearly every day during shooting of the most recent installment, No Time to Die, and handpicked Daniel Craig as Pierce Brosnan’s successor.
007: Daniel Craig poses with Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson as he is unveiled as the new James Bond in 2005
