After the surprise move that saw Amazon pay $1 billion dollars for reported 'creative control' over the James Bond franchise, one of the studio's key bosses has outlined the desire to honor the legacy of 007 – as well as providing an exciting update on the iconic spy's future.
"We are committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character, while bringing a fresh, exhilarating new chapter to audiences around the world alongside [producers] Amy [Pascal] and David [Heyman]," Amazon MGM's head of film, streaming, and theatrical Courtenay Valenti said at CinemaCon (via Deadline).
Valenti added of the producers, "They are both in London getting started and couldn’t be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know will be an incredible partnership."
While 'getting started' could mean many things – from preliminary meetings about the next Bond actor to hashing out the general direction of the series – the message appears to be one of sudden forward momentum, which is a far cry from how James Bond has stalled post-No Time to Die.
With 007 under new leadership (longtime producers and stewards of the franchise Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have now stepped aside), it remains to be seen what Amazon's new strategy will look like, however. Even so, fan response has been largely negative.
"It’s over. Bond is dead," one wrote on Twitter upon hearing the announcement. Another chimed in: "Random streaming shows set in the James Bond universe without Bond himself incoming."
Speaking to Screen Rant, former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan expressed optimism at 007's future under Amazon.
"I wish them well, and that's it. It's as simple as that, really. I really hope they take care of it and I'm sure they will," Brosnan said. "It's a much loved character. There's no other character on the stage like him, really. They know what they're doing, the studio, and they'll take care of him, I'm sure."
For more on all things 007, check out our ranking of the best James Bond movies.
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