Amazon MGM paid just $20 million to Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson for full creative control of the James Bond franchise – following claims of a £1 BILLION takeover

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Everyone has a limit, but the people who used to pay James Bond aren’t worth nearly as much as recent reports suggested.

In February, the James Bond franchise—spanning 25 films and six actors who played 007—was sold to Amazon MGM for around $1 billion. Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who have produced the films for many years, made the sale after repeatedly thwarting on-screen villains’ plans for world domination.

However, a new financial report from Wilson and Broccoli’s Eon Productions indicates the actual amount is significantly lower than first estimated.

According to a report from Variety, the company sold its ownership of the Bond franchise, including all related assets and its subsidiaries, B24 Limited and B25 Limited, on February 20, 2025.

‘The total consideration for the sale amounted to $20 million (USD).’ 

The agreement allows Jeff Bezos and Amazon to have complete creative control over the MGM franchise in the future. They will also partner with Wilson and Broccoli to oversee and manage the ownership rights.

Giving Bezos and his expanding company creative control caused anger among dedicated James Bond fans, who worried the series would lose the qualities that have always made it popular and uniquely British.

Now that Daniel Craig has finished his run as James Bond after starring in five films, the future of the iconic secret agent is uncertain. A new actor to take on the role hasn’t been chosen yet.

James Bond first appeared on screen over 60 years ago and has since become one of the most recognizable characters in movie history, according to Mike Hopkins, the leader of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.

We’re proud to carry on the legacy of James Bond and excited to begin a new chapter for audiences everywhere.

Richard Wilson, the stepson of the original James Bond producer Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, believes Amazon should now be in charge of the creative direction of future Bond films.

After nearly 60 years working on the James Bond films, I’m retiring from producing them to dedicate my time to art and supporting charitable causes, he said.

Barbara and I have decided that now is the right time for Amazon MGM Studios, our long-standing partner, to take James Bond forward.

After their father’s passing, Wilson and Broccoli inherited the responsibility of making the films, building the series on the original spy novels by Ian Fleming.

Since 1996, after the original actor died, they’ve collaborated with both Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, each of whom offered a distinct interpretation of the James Bond character.

Now that ‘No Time to Die’ is finished and Daniel Craig has retired from playing James Bond, I’m ready to dedicate my attention to other work,” Broccoli explained.

In 2022, Amazon completed its $8.45 billion acquisition of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), gaining ownership of popular film franchises like Rocky and James Bond.

At first, they only received 50% ownership of the Bond franchise, and the original owners, Broccoli and Wilson, still maintained creative control – but that arrangement was set to change in February.

Mike Hopkins, a leader at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, stated that MGM has a remarkable history of creating high-quality entertainment, and they both aim to bring a diverse range of new movies and TV shows to viewers worldwide.

Founded in 1924, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) boasts a vast collection of over 4,000 films and 17,000 television episodes, as reported by Indiewire.

After successfully exiting bankruptcy in 2010, the company has partnered with other businesses to handle the marketing and distribution of most of its films.

Amazon now completely owns all music released by the artist after 1986. Earlier recordings, those from before 1986, were sold a long time ago and are currently available through Warner Bros.

The recent merger has allowed the e-commerce company to broaden its services, particularly as it expands into digital streaming. However, the move has drawn criticism from people concerned about the growing dominance of Amazon, a hugely valuable company.

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2025-10-23 11:49