The James Bond Franchise Is Undergoing Major Changes As The Broccoli Family Steps Away, And I'm Nervous About 007's Future

I honestly never thought this day would come, but here we are. In perhaps the biggest bombshell of the 2025 movie schedule, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have announced they’re stepping down from the 007 movie machine.

Amazon-MGM Studios is now in control of Commander Bond’s future, and it's bound to change everything we know about James Bond 26 and beyond. And I’ll admit, I have the tenser moments of You Only Live Twice’s “Space March” playing in my head after hearing the news.

The broad strokes of the deal state that the streaming production powerhouse “will gain creative control of the James Bond franchise,” thanks to a new joint venture. Addressing the decision in Amazon’s press release announcing the deal, producer Michael G. Wilson had this to say:

I think it’s going to take more than a sip or two of a chilled Vesper to let that news sink in, and it’s still early in the day for such indulgences. That much is true when you take into account those potential James Bond legal troubles that recently cropped up, which have led to the current mess surrounding Bond 26's status.

However, I think we really need to sit down and discuss both the good and the bad of this momentous shift. After all, this marks a period of great change, and there are pros and cons to what could come next for the James Bond movies.

The Downside: We Don’t Know How Amazon-MGM Studios Will Approach Bond

I’d be lying if I didn’t point out Barbara Broccoli’s reported Amazon turmoil as a potential catalyst for this shift. She and her half-brother Michael G. Wilson have been producing the 007 pictures since 1995’s Goldeneye, and the post-streaming market has made it harder for traditional brands to hold onto the old ways.

Now that Amazon-MGM Studios has full creative control over James Bond, some of the reported projects that Broccoli was said to have outright rejected just might come to pass. Everything from Bond 26’s potentially meme-worthy tone to various streaming spin-offs and brand expansions is now back on the table.

Not to mention, there’s a possibility that James Bond 26 becomes the next Red One; in that it debuts in theaters, only to become available to Prime Video subscription holders not too long after. That might be limited to certain territories, though, as Warner Bros.’ reported claim to international 007 distribution might complicate things.

None of that is inherently negative of course, but they’ve been long-time concerns for fans and executives alike. And now we’re going to have to look into those possibilities a little more seriously, which actually leads me to the more positive angle of all this movement.

The Upside: James Bond’s Future Is In A More Stable Place

I know, I know. You’re probably asking your screen right now, “Mike, what’s the good news here?” Well, as Amazon-MGM Studios will be in a joint venture with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the EON Productions producers could still be called upon to advise on what’s to come. Not to mention, with a decisive degree of control over 007, the path to Bond 26 has now become a bit easier to navigate.

Let’s face it: James Bond movies aren’t cheap to make, nor are they easy to put together. With Amazon-MGM’s considerable might backing the franchise, production budgets might not be as stressful to consider as they would be at a traditional studio.

The streaming economy still spends quite a bit on pet projects that will soon be housed in their digital libraries, so Commander Bond’s expense accounts could stay as flush as they’ve previously been. Not to mention, it might become a lot easier to stream the entire 60+ year catalog of adventures in one place, for longer than just a month.

We're dealing with a lot of known unknowns when looking at the future of Bond, James Bond. I'm sure plenty of people are going to start making jokes about how Max Zorin or Elliot Carver have finally won the long game against Ian Fleming's legendary creation, and I know I'll laugh at some of them. But while I'm nervous about what's next, I'm also hopeful.

So for now, I'll ease up on the throttle of concern, and raise a glass for two toasts. First, to Amazon-MGM Studios for taking a step to put Bond 26 back on track. Second, and more importantly, I'll drink to Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, and the entire EON Productions outfit. May the solid foundation of quality and dedication you put into decades of the 007 movies provide the new kids with the right tools to forge ahead.

Your legacy, like diamonds, will be forever.