Amazon’s purchase of MGM’s movie and TV franchises is big news, but what does it mean for James Bond, Rocky, and other popular film and TV properties?
Hollywood is buzzing about Amazon’s purchase of MGM Holdings and its massive library of movie and TV franchises, which reportedly accounts for approximately 4,000 individual films and 17,000 hours of TV content. To say that it’s a big deal is an understatement, as the $8.45 billion deal provides an injection of well-known entertainment properties into Amazon’s future plans at a time when Amazon Prime Video has struggled to match the brand recognition of in-house series and movie franchises owned by competitors like Netflix and Disney+. So what does it all mean for the James Bond and Rocky franchises, among other MGM properties? Unfortunately (for Amazon Prime Video subscribers, that is), this doesn’t mean we should expect to see Agent 007’s future adventures debut on Amazon anytime soon. Given the complicated nature of most movie deals, the outlook for many of MGM’s most prominent movie and TV brands will likely differ from one franchise to the next. Here’s what we know so far about how some of MGM’s biggest franchises might be affected by the Amazon deal. Although MGM produced nearly all of the James Bond movies, it doesn’t actually control the distribution side of the films — as in, when and how the film’s are released. That particular, extremely important aspect of the franchise is controlled by Eon Productions, and the studio was quick to release a statement reaffirming its commitment to give all future James Bond movies — including this October’s No Time To Die — a theatrical debut. “We are committed to continuing to make James Bond films for the worldwide theatrical audience,” said Eon’s Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in a statement released shortly after the Amazon deal was announced. So, although James Bond fans shouldn’t expect to see the secret agent’s adventures premiere on Amazon Prime Video, there’s a good chance future installments of the franchise will call the streaming service home.
