How an American takeover could change James Bond forever

The latest James Bond film, "No Time to Die," was released in 2021, and the familiar words "James Bond Will Return" at the end of the credits filled fans with anticipation. However, over the past few years, the return of Bond has remained uncertain for fans. The prolonged wait has only heightened anticipation for the next installment.

A year after Daniel Craig's final appearance as Bond, Amazon acquired MGM, the parent company of the series. Since then, news about a new Bond film has been scarce. But this situation finally changed on Thursday when Amazon announced a new agreement where long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson would step down, giving Jeff Bezos's company full creative control. This marks a significant shift in the direction of the franchise.

Reportedly, tensions existed between Amazon, which wanted a return on its investment, and Wilson and Broccoli, whose priority remained protecting the Bond brand, over the past few years. The news has elicited mixed reactions from 007 fans. The future of the Bond franchise is now a topic of intense debate among fans and industry insiders alike.

"I have mixed feelings," said David Zaritsky, founder of the "Bond Experience" channel on YouTube and Instagram. "The nostalgic side of me feels a little sad. Broccoli and Wilson have been the guardians of the Bond series for so many years, it feels like a royal bloodline is being cut off. But on the other hand, nobody likes stagnation. The James Bond series has been at a standstill for years, and I know Amazon won't tolerate that. So I'm very hopeful, even a little excited, that they're going to do some interesting things with the series." Zaritsky's comments reflect the conflicting emotions felt by many long-time fans.

Other massively expanded franchises might offer some clues about Bond in the Amazon era. James Bond historian, journalist, and filmmaker Lancelot Narayan said in a BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast that a good comparison is George Lucas selling Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, giving the company control of the "Star Wars" brand. "They then made a sequel trilogy, and whether you liked it or not, it was made very quickly," he noted. "There wasn't a three-year wait between movies." The speed at which Disney produced Star Wars films could be indicative of Amazon's approach to the Bond franchise.

However, despite the increased output, both Marvel and "Star Wars" have been perceived as over-expanding their spin-offs. Narayan said he believes "Star Wars" has become "redundant" creatively since the surge in production. "The quality of 'Star Wars' TV shows has been very mixed – 'Andor' is great, 'The Mandalorian' is okay, I haven't seen 'Skeleton Crew'... but there are very different creative voices there," he noted. "So that's the worry, you need the right creative people running the show." The lesson from Star Wars is that quality control is paramount, even with increased production.

Similarly, the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched a series of Disney+ TV shows based on the films. The subsequent decline in Marvel's popularity has been largely attributed to fan fatigue and the sheer volume of storylines they had to keep up with. Both the Marvel and "Star Wars" cases highlight the risks of brand expansion, which can cause long-term damage for short-term financial gain. The potential for oversaturation is a concern for Bond fans as well.

Fans will be hoping that any Bond extensions are better than the much-derided 2023 game show "007: Road to a Million," hosted by "Succession's" Brian Cox. The James Bond series, especially the topic of who will succeed Craig as Bond, has generated so much public interest that it is the focus of a show currently playing in Cirencester called "A Role To Die For." The enduring appeal of the Bond franchise is undeniable.

"A lot of people have grown up with it, and James Bond has become part of their culture," said Derek Bond (a fitting name), the director of the play. "The secret to his longevity has been the ability over time to reinvent the character, to perhaps move with the times. But I don't know whether we're now at a point where the times have changed so much that James Bond now feels like he belongs to a different era and needs something really radical to make him relevant to today." The challenge for Amazon will be to modernize Bond without alienating its core audience.

Now that the company has creative control, one area it will almost certainly look at is the potential for character origin stories, similar to other famous and popular movie characters who have received their own spin-off films. "Cruella" (an extension of the villain character from "101 Dalmatians") and "Wonka" (a character from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") have both been huge cinematic spin-off successes in the last five years, with Emma Stone and Timothée Chalamet bringing those characters and worlds to entirely new audiences. The success of these films demonstrates the potential for exploring the backstories of iconic characters.

It's not hard to imagine the popularity of a similar film or TV series based on famous Bond villains like Jaws, Oddjob, Blofeld, Goldfinger, or May Day – all of whom are big brands in their own right. "I mean, why hasn't anyone made a Moneypenny?!" Derek Bond said, laughing. "There's a wonderful series to be made about her and her journey. And M, I'd love to know how Judi Dench's M ended up in that role. Especially the villains, it's such a rich universe, it's easy to imagine it being Marvel-ized, you could make spin-offs for every character James Bond meets in the corridor." The Bond universe is ripe with potential for spin-offs and expanded storytelling.

But Zaritsky noted, "I don't think Amazon will do it to the extent that they're making spin-offs about the MI6 cleaner who sleeps in the corner. If they do have spin-offs, I think it will be major characters." Not everyone likes the idea. Following Amazon's announcement, Griffin Schiller of Film Speak wrote on Twitter, "This might be the worst thing to ever happen to this franchise. James Bond isn't just some regular franchise. It has taste, prestige, they're standalone films made as blockbusters... now? It's going to be milked dry. This is truly doomsday." The potential for over-exploitation is a major concern for many fans.

During her tenure, Broccoli has been seen as the steward of the brand; a safe pair of hands protecting the original character's legacy. This may not necessarily be compatible with Amazon, which presumably bought a brand, not just a film series, to maximize profits. "It tends to skew to a slightly older generation, and there's a whole generation who haven't experienced James Bond movies, and now, I wonder whether they will," Bond said. Amazon's profit-driven approach may clash with the traditional values of the Bond franchise.

However, during her tenure, Broccoli has strived to attract younger audiences in other ways, such as choosing popular young artists like Billie Eilish to sing the theme songs. Repositioning the brand might see Amazon attempt to push the series in a direction that is more appealing to younger audiences, as well as the American market, which has culturally had slightly less interest in the Bond brand than the UK. The need to balance tradition with innovation will be a key challenge for Amazon.

Movie journalist Hannah Strong told BBC Radio 4's PM program following the Amazon announcement, "I think it's incredibly bad news for the franchise and for British film in general. This is the UK's premier film industry, and I think for control to be handed back to an American company, especially one that hasn't shown a commitment to great film, is potentially a worrying sign." The implications for the British film industry are also a concern.

That said, Amazon will be aware that Bond currently makes a lot of money – and changing the core product itself in a way that more obviously appeals to an American audience would be a huge risk. Strong added, "When Amazon bought MGM, Barbara Broccoli was very vocal about the fact that she was finding it difficult to reach a middle ground with Amazon. I suspect that middle ground involves vast amounts of money." The financial stakes are high, and Amazon will need to tread carefully.

The biggest decision remains who will replace Craig in the lead role. Broccoli has previously said that James Bond can be any race, but he remains male. Now that she has handed over the reins, that assurance may no longer hold true, although her approach was widely considered to be wise, and Amazon is unlikely to take too many risks. The casting of the next Bond is a decision that will shape the future of the franchise.

How soon might we see the first new Bond product? Zaritsky believes Amazon won't sit still, although it might not be a film that comes first. "It might be to do with merchandise, or it might come in the form of fan outreach," he said. "Whatever it is, I think we might see something quite soon." The anticipation for the next chapter of the James Bond saga is palpable.