Apple and Amazon Join Race to Acquire ‘James Bond’ Film Rights

There will be plenty more James Bond films in the future, we can all be sure of that. What we can’t be sure of, however, is which studio will be releasing them.

Sony’s rights to distribute the 007 franchise ended after Spectre in 2015, so Bond is up for grabs. Warner Bros. still leads the way, with many thinking that the entertainment giant will nab the rights, but a couple of exciting dark horse candidates have entered the competition.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, both Apple and Amazon have are actively pursuing the purchase of the James Bond rights.

The report suggests that both tech companies are willing to spend as much, if not more, on the rights as WB and Sony. While Universal, Sony, and Fox have also been pursuing the rights, WB remains the favorite. However, the emergence of Apple and Amazon shakes things up.

This race shows that James Bond is one of the last great properties that could change the game in the race for premium content. Disney owns franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, while Warners owns things like Harry Potter and DC Comics. If Amazon or Apple could get their hands on James Bond, it could turn the tide in their favor.

Apple is currently considered the most viable competitor to Warners, so much so that executives at WB are rapidly trying to push MGM into a deal.