Preparations not progressing at all ─ "There is no script, no story, no new Bond"
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| Image Credit: MGM |
A new film in the 007 series and the casting of a new James Bond actor to replace Daniel Craig are stalled due to a conflict between the producers and Amazon/MGM? The Wall Street Journal reports that the series is "not at all close to the next film" since the release of the previous film, No Time to Die (2021). Since the first film, Dr. No, in 1962, James Bond films have basically been produced at a pace of one every two to three years. There were exceptions, such as when the Bond role was replaced by Timothy Dalton with Pierce Brosnan, which took six years, and when No Time to Die had a six-year gap due to production delays and the COVID-19 pandemic, but the longest gap was four years.
However, three years have passed since Craig graduated from his role as Bond in "No Time to Die," and there is still no sign of a new Bond role being decided, and there are no signs of a new project. The background to this is said to be Amazon's acquisition of MGM, the production company of the "007" series, in 2021. Amazon paid $6.5 billion to acquire MGM to utilize the company's library, and of course, the highlight was "007." However, producer Barbara Broccoli, who inherited the James Bond film rights from her father, and Michael G. Wilson, who is nearing retirement, have made it their mission to protect the long-standing brand.
When they acquired MGM, they guaranteed the theatrical release of "No Time to Die," and still hold the final decision-making power over the script and casting. However, Broccoli does not seem to trust Amazon's algorithm-driven approach. According to reports, as of the fall of 2024, he said about the next work, "There is no script, no story, and no new Bond." Among friends, he is said to have criticized Amazon as "a bunch of idiots." Initially, Amazon executives thought they could convince Broccoli to bring the 007 series to Prime Video. However, Amazon's ideas for a James Bond drama series and spin-offs of 007 characters were all rejected.
It is also said that Jennifer Salke, CEO of Amazon MGM Studios, lost Broccoli's trust by calling the 007 series "content" in front of him. It is unclear how much of these stories are true and how much is just rumor. What is certain is that Broccoli has not given the go-ahead for any new 007 moves since Amazon's acquisition. Related works released include the reality show "The Billionaire" and the documentary "The Sound of 007," but these were planned before No Time to Die. Amazon's intentions were not reflected much in season 1 of "Quiz! A Million Yen," and it seems that the viewers' reactions were not favorable internally.
Season 2 is currently in production, but Amazon seems to be discussing, "What kind of person is James Bond? Is it good for modern society to praise a dangerous spy who loves women?" through this reality show. "What should James Bond's image be in the future?" This point could also be a factor that leads to further conflict between Broccoli and Amazon. Wilson's son, Greg Wilson, who served as an associate producer on "No Time to Die," seems to be positive about renewing the role of Bond, but the question is how to renew it. Broccoli has said to those around him that he has no objection to a person of color or a gay actor playing the role and that he strongly believes that "Bond must be a British man."
Since "No Time to Die," fans have been speculating about who will be the next Bond actor, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson from "Kraven the Hunter" (2024) currently considered the most likely. The Hollywood Reporter believes that Josh O'Connor from "The Challengers" (2024) is more likely than Taylor-Johnson, but it is unclear how useful this information is at this point. There were also rumors that Steve McQueen, director of "12 Years a Slave" (2013), had met with the production team, but...
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