Summary
There were multiple propositions for theJames Bondfranchise when Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli were still the producers. However, the pair reportedly rejected every single one of them.
TheJames Bondfranchise is one of cinema’s longest-running and most successful film franchises, based on Ian Fleming’s spy novels. The franchise has produced films since 1962, with Sean Connery’sDr. Noas its debut flick.Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are the producers behind EON Productions, which has controlled the James Bond film rights since the beginning. The two are the stepchildren of Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, the co-founder of EON Productions and the producer responsible for establishing the Bond film legacy. Wilson and Broccoli, through EON Productions and its parent company Danjaq, LLC, owned the rights to produceJames Bondfilms; however, that changed last month.
According to a report fromThe Hollywood Reporter, when Wilson andBroccolistill had the creative reins for theJames Bondfranchise, Amazon made several propositions after its $8.5 billion purchase of MGM, James Bond’s longtime home. Amazon reportedly wanted to convert James Bond into a “Marvel-style universe” with TV spinoffs, including one centered around Miss Moneypenny. However, the duo, who have been involved in the franchise for decades, didn’t like the idea and turned down each one of them. Part of the report read:
Still, Amazon had ideas. Sources close to the franchise say the streamer approached the Broccolis with pitches for a TV series based on Moneypenny, the MI6 secretary who’s been batting eyes at Bond since Sean Connery’s days, as well as a show about Bond CIA buddy Felix Leiter, and maybe even something involving a female 007. Predictably, Broccoli and Wilson weren’t interested.
Wilson eventually retired and left Broccoli alone, who subsequently got tired of Amazon’s antics and decided to step back. According to the report, Broccoli got exhausted from the “endless studio battles or the years-long Bond production marathons,” and without a clear successor, she decided to let it go. However, Broccoli was reportedly paid nearly $1 billion for her departure. The outlet added that something happened in December whenThe Wall Street Journalpublished an article quoting Barbara allegedly telling friends that the Amazon executives were “f****ng idiots.” The report did not go well withAmazonCEO Jeff Bezos. According to the insiders, “He read her quote in theJournaland got on the phone and said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, get rid of her.'” Bezos reportedly paid nearly a billion to have the creative control from Broccoli.
