James Bond Franchise Now Under Full Amazon MGM Control

In a shocking move, Amazon/MGM has acquired full creative control of the James Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Broccoli and Wilson, who are children of the Bond franchise’s legendary producer Albert R. Broccoli, have been hardliners on extreme quality control for the spy franchise—often blocking Amazon from polluting the franchise’s brand by creating multiple 007 spin-off movies and TV shows. But today, according to Deadline, the corporation paid the two producers over $1 billion to assume full creative control of Bond‘s future.

The move will finally allow Amazon to execute its long-gestating plan of turning Bond into a ‘universe’ akin to Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which Broccoli was long opposed to, once calling Amazon “f—ing idiots” according to Deadline.

Now, Amazon is on the hunt for its own Kevin Feige, the producer responsible for the entirety of the MCU. Also needed, of course, is someone to play the titular agent over the course of several movies and TV shows for likely a decade or more. Both Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nosferatu) and Josh O’Connor (Challengers) have been rumored for the role in the past year or so.

The corporation will also need a director for the next Bond movie; in the past, big-name directors like Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan have publicly stated their desire to direct a Bond, but were unable due to Broccoli’s final say on all things 007. Now, Amazon can have their pick of the litter.

“They would have just kept on fighting,” one source told Deadline about Amazon’s feud with Broccoli. “Now a new Bond movie can be delivered to a new generation, much sooner.”