Almost a year after the acquisition was first announced, Amazon finally closed the deal to purchase legendary studio MGM for a cool $8.5 billion, and questions have almost immediately turned to what comes next.
The outfit boasts plenty of iconic properties, including Rocky, Legally Blonde, Stargate, The Pink Panther, and others, while MGM has also developed a reputation for putting out acclaimed awards season favorites, with Licorice Pizza, House of Gucci, and Cyrano three of the most recent.
Of course, the elephant in the room is cinema’s most famous secret agent, and a new report from Variety outlines that Amazon unsurprisingly views James Bond as the jewel in the crown. The biggest stumbling block in regards to the corporate monolith’s intentions for the brand remains producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who hold a massive level of creative control over the franchise.
Nonetheless, Variety offers that not only was 007 the driving force behind the entire deal, but “it could be built out to include shows and other spinoffs”, which would require the approval of the Eon Productions chiefs. However, they’ve previously been adamant in rejecting the notions of spinoffs, prequels, or offshoots, so either concessions will need to be made, or we’ll be at an impasse for the foreseeable future.
The future of James Bond will lie exclusively on the big screen, but it’s not difficult to imagine Amazon pushing for potential TV shows or ancillary feature films set in the same world. As always, though, the ball remains in Eon’s court, but we’re unquestionably entering a pivotal and potentially defining era for the long-running spy saga.
