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Head of Showbiz Tom Bryant reflects on what Amazon MGM now having creative control could mean for 007 – and the future of the franchise
To say Hollywood has been left shaken (and stirred) is an understatement.
Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli’s dramatic relinquishing of the 007 franchise to Amazon MGM has sparked a feverish debate as to what’s next for Britain’s famous spy. One producer told me his jaw hit the floor when news broke today. “To cede creative control is extraordinary, given how much they protected the brand,” they said.
“Nothing is off the cards.” Feelings are also running high among hugely devoted fans. “RIP James Bond. Amazon will destroy a great franchise, like Disney have destroyed Star Wars,” said one. But what does the changing of the guard really mean? We could easily see a new series of spin-off shows in the same vein as the Marvel superhero universe. Perhaps a Moneypenny breakout TV show, or a series featuring M.
As for Bond himself, directors could be freed from the creative shackles of Broccoli and Wilson. Could we see a recently-retired Quentin Tarantino or Christopher Nolan swoop in and rip up the rule book, making Bond an edgier, cooler and downright darker anti-hero?
It’s no secret that Tarantino previously wanted to direct Casino Royale. What about a female Bond, or the often mooted first Black 007? “Change can be good to freshen things up, but it can also sink a franchise,” the same producer tells me. “The stakes are very, very high.”
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