Shaken, Not Stirred: James Bond Franchise Caught In A Tug Of War With Amazon

James Bond has done it all, from defeating iron-jawed foes to bedding the loveliest lasses across the pond.

He may have met his match with Amazon/MGM, and the battle over 007’s future speaks volumes about where Hollywood goes in the next decade.

So far, the signs are ominous, according to leaks shared in an explosive Wall Street Journal investigation. As is, it’s been a while since the British Super Spy graced the big screen. The last 007 outing, “No Time to Die,” hit theaters in 2021 following a COVID delay.

It’s now 2025 and there’s no new Bond movie script or even a story in the works. Heck, we still don’t know who will take over for Daniel Craig, who played the British secret agent for five feature films.

It might be several years before 007 sips a new martini on the big screen. Will franchise fans wait that long, or will they move on to other action sagas?

How could Hollywood let a beloved property sit on the proverbial shelf?

It all began at the top at Amazon. In 2021 the company purchased MGM for a gaudy $6.5 billion, instantly acquiring the power of classic IPs like “Rocky,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Legally Blonde” and a certain spy franchise dating back to “Dr. No” in 1962.

The deal has a unique complication, however, when it comes to the Bond saga. Amazon owns half of the franchise, while the rest is held by siblings Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson – Broccoli being the main power broker at this point.

The pair inherited the series from veteran Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli. The duo retains considerable control over all things Bond, from spinoffs to casting the next 007.

That’s good, on paper. The Broccoli family has lorded over the franchise for decades, and they’ve treated it with great care. They’re not eager to leverage the property or lunge for a quick cash grab.

Amazon has other ideas.

They see the series as content to be exploited in the not-so-grand “Star Wars” tradition. How well has that turned out?

No matter. The oh, so modern Amazon envisions a Bond universe where a Miss Moneypenny series can coincide with new Bond adventures.

The creative tug of war reflects where Hollywood stands in 2025. Beloved IPs (intellectual properties) are the coin of the realm, be it a plastic Barbie doll or “The Planet of the Apes.” They allow studios to deliver remakes, sequels, prequels and reboots, all retaining the precious name recognition fans crave.

The “Star Wars” brand serves as a cautionary tale. We haven’t seen a new “Star Wars” film since 2019, and every few months an “announced” film project gets scrapped or sent to the back burner.

The less said about “Star Wars” TV shows like “The Acolyte,” gone after one terrible woke season, the better.

The “John Wick” saga stumbled with the TV series prequel “The Continental.” Next up? The Wick-ian movie spinoff “Ballerina” starring Ana De Armas.”

Suddenly, Keanu Reeves’ antihero seems less special, no? Can Bond avoid that ignominious path?

The only Bond-related project to come out since the purchase? The reality show, “007: Road to a Million,” hosted by an actor who signed on thinking he had snagged a role in a Bond film, not a spinoff project (Brian Cox of “Succession” fame).

The Broccolis have retained the core of the Bond brand for more than 60 years. They let Bond evolve over time, but only by degrees. He no longer swats the fannies of his female co-stars like Sean Connery’s spy once did.

He might rely less on gadgets today than during the Roger Moore era (1973-1985). His enemies reflect modern woes more than Cold War villains of the past.

That consistency has made Bond an icon bridging generations of fans. It doesn’t matter who portrays Bond – the rugged Connery or the suave Pierce Brosnan – the character’s enduring appeal matters most.

He’s a traditionally masculine figure who knows the risks but saves the day over and again. Yes, he’s a straight white male who kills without mercy when needed. He also rarely embraces monogamy, and that’s being kind.

All of the above drives his detractors crazy, including press outlets eager to dub Bond’s canon “problematic.” Even the last Bond movie director, “No Time to Die’s” Cary Fukunaga, said Connery’s Bond was practically a rapist.

So far, the Broccolis have resistant cultural pressure along the way. Even “No Time to Die,” marketed with plenty of woke eye rolls, stuck mostly to formula. It also made $774 million worldwide despite the lingering pandemic.

The James Bond saga represents old school Hollywood. It’s a connection to our pop culture past, a franchise that belongs on the big screen. Always. You don’t “stream” a new 007 movie. It’s not “content” based on algorithms.

It’s cinema, resisting the flavors of the month to deliver timeless thrills. Women want to bed him, while men want to be like him. Those biological norms never go out of style.

Unless 21st century Hollywood has its way.

The most chilling part of the WSJ story came via an Amazon employee considering the world of 007.

“I have to be honest. I don’t think James Bond is a hero.”

Team Broccoli has its work cut out for it.

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Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at HollywoodInToto.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.