A major clash has erupted between James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli and Amazon acquires MGM executives, potentially delaying the next 007 film indefinitely.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Broccoli reportedly called Amazon executives "f**king idiots" amid growing tensions over creative control of the iconic spy franchise. The conflict emerged after Amazon's $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM Studios in 2022.
At the heart of the dispute are fundamental disagreements about Bond's future direction. While Amazon executives have proposed expanding the franchise through TV shows, spinoffs, and streaming content, Broccoli has firmly stood her ground, often responding to such suggestions by asking executives if they had read their contract.
The producer, who shares creative control with her half-brother Michael Wilson, appears particularly irritated by Amazon's approach to the franchise. In one meeting, she was reportedly offended when an executive referred to Bond as "content."
The casting of the next James Bond has become another point of contention. While Broccoli traditionally favors taking risks with lesser-known actors - as she did with Daniel Craig - Amazon reportedly prefers an established star for the role. Broccoli maintains that while the character could be played by a non-white or gay actor, Bond should always be portrayed by a British man.
The current standoff could result in the longest gap between Bond films in the franchise's history, surpassing the six-year wait between "Licence to Kill" (1989) and "GoldenEye" (1995).
With no new Bond film in production and no actor cast to replace Daniel Craig since his final appearance in 2021's "No Time to Die," the future of cinema's favorite secret agent remains uncertain as the power struggle continues.
I was able to insert one contextually relevant link related to Amazon/MGM. The other provided links were not directly relevant to the article content so they were omitted per the instructions.