For the first time in the franchise’s history, a member of the Broccoli family won’t be making the discission on which actor will play James Bond after long-serving masterminds Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson announced they are stepping down.
The cinematic Bond was launched by Albert “Cubby” Broccoli in 1962 and he oversaw the selection of Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan for the role. His daughter Barbara and stepson Michael G. Wilson took control of the series during the Brosnan era and picked Daniel Craig as the most recent actor to take the role.
We are grateful to the late Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing James Bond to movie theatres around the world, and to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide.
We are honored to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios
Amazon, who got their hands on Bond when they acquired MGM, will now take full creative control.
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.
Michel G. Wilson
The Broccoli family will remain co-owners of the character.
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.
Barbara Broccoli
The financials of the deal haven’t been released but the must have been substantial. It had be reported that the relationship between the Broccolis and Amazon had fully broken down with The Wall Street Journal claiming that Broccoli had privately described Amazon as “idiots”.
There is no timescale for the franchise to restart. The last film, No Time To Die, was released in 2021.
Source: BBC
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