Fans of The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time—and likely He-Man and Voltron—are already well aware, but now the owner and producer of James Bond has said what everyone else is thinking: “These people are f’n idiots” over at Amazon Studios.
Amazon acquired the rights to James Bond back in 2021 after No Time to Die, but no new movie has been released since. The Wall Street Journal points out that this is unusual for the franchise, which has rarely taken extended breaks between films and has consistently released a new movie every couple of years since 1962. Moreover, it’s now said that a new James Bond movie doesn’t appear to be coming out anytime soon.
So why hasn’t there been a new James Bond movie?
The James Bond franchise is owned by Barbara Broccoli who has final say when it comes to all things about the character. She’s old school where story comes first. The article says Broccoli isn’t at all happy with Amazon and doesn’t want to make a new film with the studio:
“The relationship between the family that oversees the franchise and the e-commerce giant has all but collapsed.”
“The decaying partnership has scuttled any near-term hope of a new Bond film.”
Tech industry: It’s about quantity over quality
If you don’t closely follow industry news, here’s what I’ve gathered from insiders: the tech industry has all the money, while traditional film studios are struggling financially. Rumors suggest Comcast might buy Warner Bros. Discovery, and I’ve even heard that Disney may eventually sell to Apple. The tech industry operates in a vastly different way when it comes to entertainment compared to Hollywood.
As the WSJ notes, the tech industry only cares about “prized data, algorithms, and streaming subscriptions.” They’re not focused on delivering good stories or quality content—they prioritize quantity to get as many eyeballs on their platforms as possible. Unfortunately, this often results in poor-quality productions (again, just look at The Rings of Power, for example):
She has told friends she doesn’t trust algorithm-centric Amazon with a character she helped to mythologize through big-screen storytelling and gut instinct. This fall, she characterized the status of a new movie in dire terms—no script, no story and no new Bond.
To friends, Broccoli has characterized her thoughts on Amazon this way: “These people are f— idiots.”
Amazon isn’t a good home for Bond
The article further reveals that Broccoli takes a “den-mother” approach when producing and being on the set of James Bond movies, ensuring that the “cardinal rules of storytelling” are strictly followed. It’s also noted that she has rejected offers for TV shows, video games, and even a casino deal related to the franchise:
“Due to the current impasse, the franchise hasn’t moved any closer to its next installment.”
“Broccoli has complained that Amazon isn’t a good home for Bond.”
New Direction
Back in November of 2024, Broccoli filled in the AP they are going in a new direction with the character, which makes sense as the Daniel Craig version of James Bond was killed off at the end of No Time To Die:
“Every time we cast a new actor, the films change. It’s the excitement of a new Bond, a new direction. Every one of these people who took on the role offered something new and different.”
Who could play the new James Bond?
Names thrown out there include Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Mescal, Callum Turner, James Norton, Regé-Jean Page, Damson Idris, Richard Madden, Henry Golding, Lucien Laviscount, Dev Patel, and more.
