Shocking
24th February 2025
Insiders from both camps have shed some light on how the Amazon deal went down
By MI6 Staff
Share The Story
"We can do a deal! I'll buy you a delicatessen in stainless steel!"
It did not take long for the vacuum of 'why' to be filled last Thursday, just hours after Amazon announced it had taken over creative control of the James Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson: $1 billion was reportedly the sum that yielded the family business to the corporate giant.
In the days following the announcement, those familiar with the details of the deal have shed some light on the situation. MI6 understands that Broccoli and Wilson will retain some ownership and a share of profits from James Bond-related activities going forward (not just limited film revenues) as joint owners of a new holding company. In addition to the $1b in cash, the duo is also set to receive Amazon stock. $AMZN currently trades for $212 a share with a market cap of $2.4 trillion.
Due to Amazon being a publicly traded company, and given the regulatory and legal processes, the deal will not be finalized until May, so it is unlikely that any official announcements about decisions on Bond's future will be made until then.
Trusted insiders at Amazon Studios confirmed to MI6 that the decision was a shock. "Nobody expected them to take the offer," said one with knowledge of the relationship since Amazon's acquisition of MGM back in 2022. The studio has been at an impasse with EON since the MGM takeover was completed, and "every few months we would approach with a deal but they rebuffed them." It is not known what finally tipped the balance, besides the amount of cash, but it "caught everyone here out by surprise." An email thread circulating around team members after the announcement was vitriolic, "as if a battle had been won."
News of the deal came as a surprise to staff at EON Productions too, as according to a couple of sources close to the organisation, the dozen full-time employees were given no advance notice of the impending decision.
Long-time casting director Debbie McWilliams, who worked on the last 13 films at EON Productions, announced her retirement today, but claimed it was not determined by the decision to sell to Amazon. "I am sad to see the end of this era but totally understand why it has happened," said McWilliams to Screen. "Prior to Amazon acquiring MGM, Barbara and Michael had a good working relationship with the studio and always held the final decisions. Looking at Amazon’s previous theatrical films does not fill me with any great enthusiasm."
It remains unclear if EON Productions will have any future involvement with the Bond franchise, continue to operate for Broccoli's non-Bond projects, or shut down completely.
Share The Story
