As was reported recently, it appears MGM is stuck in a position where the studio will likely be forced to release “No Time to Die” in theaters this October due to the increased costs of postponing the film even further. Obviously, this is a unique time in the history of theatrical distribution and COVID potentially throwing a wrench into the James Bond film strategy is just one of the questions facing the producers of the franchise. There’s also the fact that Daniel Craig is seemingly leaving the 007 role after “No Time to Die,” and there’s the news that Amazon purchased MGM and now co-owns the Bond property. Lots of questions as to the future of Bond, for sure.
READ MORE: MGM May Not Be Able To Delay ‘No Time To Die’ Again Because Of Marketing Costs
Speaking to TotalFilm, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, producers of the Bond franchise, as well as co-owners of the franchise rights, spoke about the future of the superspy film series. And the emphasis is on the film part of that, as many people are curious if the future of 007 includes TV series and Amazon Prime Originals.
“It’s tough to think about the future until this film has its moment,” Broccoli said. “I think we just really want to celebrate this and celebrate Daniel, and then when the dust settles, then look at the landscape and figure out what the future is. Although I think one thing we’ve certainly learned in the last 18 months is you never know what the future is. So we have to sit down and think about it.”
One thing they don’t have to think about is whether or not the future includes TV series. That’s a big no from Broccoli and Wilson.
“We make films. We make films for the cinema,” said Broccoli. “That’s what we do.”
READ MORE: ‘Skyfall’ Writer Is Worried About The James Bond Franchise After Amazon/MGM Deal
Wilson added, “We’ve resisted that call for 60 years.”
It’s obviously still unclear what the future of James Bond is going to look like in a year. Will “No Time to Die” be a huge hit when it eventually hits theaters? Who will take over the lead role when Craig departs? And, of course, how does Amazon factor into all of this? It doesn’t appear like we’re going to get answers to any of those questions anytime soon.