You may know secret agent James Bond as a sophisticated, smooth-talking, martini-drinking womanizer, but did you know that he has been controlled by the Broccoli family all along?
No, this isn't some strange vegetable-related plotline from one of the movies. The series creator and producer, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli launched the James Bond film series over 60 years ago, and later passed the franchise down to his daughter, Barbara Broccoli, and stepson, Michael G. Wilson in the mid-90s.
Since then, this duo has led all aspects of Bond — until this week.
Three things to know:
- The Bond franchise was originally owned by MGM Studios, which was acquired by Amazon in 2022. At that time, Wilson and Broccoli said they would retain creative control of the films through their own production company, Eon.
- But this week, the pair released a joint statement with Amazon announcing they would be stepping down from their creative roles and allowing the new home of the Bond franchise to take the lead.
- The latest film in the series, No Time to Die, was released in 2021 and earned nearly $800 million at the global box office. This film also marked Daniel Craig's final performance in his iconic role as James Bond in the 2010s. According to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on social media, the search for the next 007 is currently underway.
Who’d you pick as the next Bond? pic.twitter.com/u7nBaRROlf
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) February 20, 2025
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Film in the age of streaming
NPR's Jaclyn Diaz reported in 2022 on how a deal like the Amazon-MGM merger might impact the future of film and beloved franchises like James Bond.
Experts have raised concerns about the consolidation of streaming services, and the potential loss of original content in favor of popular reboots.
"This will mean there will be less unique stories," said David Offenberg, an associate professor of finance at Loyola Marymount University and an expert in entertainment finance.
"We are in this situation because we like the brands we know, but it's going to be harder for new ideas to shine through."
The Bond films, inspired by Ian Fleming's novels, have grossed over $7 billion at the global box office in the past six decades, making it one of the most successful franchises of all time.
No announcements have been made regarding the timeline for the next film.
Learn more with NPR:
- Read Diaz' full story on the Amazon MGM merger here.
- Want to get deeper? Listen to the It's Been a Minute podcast, where host Brittany Luse goes beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.
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