Amazon MGM Studios was set to gain creative control over future James Bond productions under a deal announced on 20 February 2025. But the announcement did not make Amazon the sole owner: Amazon MGM, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson said they would remain co-owners of Bond’s intellectual-property rights.
What the James Bond deal changed
EON Productions announced that Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli had formed a joint venture to house James Bond intellectual-property rights. Once the transaction closed, Amazon MGM would gain creative control over future productions. The announcement did not disclose the transaction’s financial terms or ownership percentages, and it did not describe the venture’s detailed governance arrangements. EON’s announcement is the basis for what the parties said the deal would do; the Associated Press report also noted that financial terms were not disclosed.
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Does Amazon own James Bond now?
No—not outright, according to the announcement. Amazon MGM, Broccoli and Wilson said they would remain co-owners of the franchise’s intellectual-property rights. The shift described was in creative control over future productions, not a transfer of all ownership to Amazon.
Distribution, creative control and ownership are different
| Issue | What the sources establish |
|---|---|
| Distribution | EON said Amazon had held the rights to distribute all James Bond films since Amazon acquired MGM. EON, 20 February 2025 |
| Creative control | Amazon MGM was to gain creative control over future productions following the transaction’s closing. EON, 20 February 2025 |
| Ownership | Amazon MGM, Wilson and Broccoli said they would remain co-owners. The announcement did not state ownership percentages. EON, 20 February 2025 |
| Earlier approval arrangements | A European Commission decision on the MGM acquisition describes the pre-2025 MGM and Danjaq/EON co-ownership arrangement and EON’s broad approval rights for strategic decisions. It predates the new venture and does not establish its contractual terms. European Commission decision |
That distinction matters because Amazon’s distribution role preceded the 2025 announcement. Distribution concerns rights to release films; creative control concerns who leads decisions about future productions; ownership concerns the underlying intellectual property. The announcement addressed all three, but did not publish a complete contract or explain every decision-making mechanism.
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Why Wilson and Broccoli stepped back
Wilson said he was retiring from producing the Bond films after a career spanning nearly 60 years and wanted to focus on art and charitable projects. He said he and Broccoli agreed it was time for Amazon MGM to lead the franchise’s future. Broccoli said her focus would turn to other projects after No Time To Die and Wilson’s retirement from the films. Both statements appeared in EON’s announcement.
Who is producing the next Bond film?
Amazon MGM later named Amy Pascal and David Heyman as producers of its upcoming Bond film in an official studio announcement. That confirms a producer milestone, but the announcement does not establish a release date, cast or completed screenplay. Amazon MGM film chief Courtenay Valenti said the studio was approaching creative decisions with a strong sense of responsibility.
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What remains unknown
The public announcements establish the broad change, not the full business or production plan. They do not state the purchase price or consideration, the parties’ ownership shares, or the new venture’s detailed governance provisions. Nor do the cited announcements establish a release date or cast for the upcoming film. Those details should not be inferred from the transfer of creative control or the naming of producers.
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