Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has taken full creative control of the James Bond franchise after longtime producer Barbara Broccoli allegedly called his executives “idiots.”
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| Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos now controls the James Bond franchise after striking a $1 billion deal to remove longtime producers following reported tensions. Image: ChicHue |
London, UK – March 9, 2025:
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has taken full creative control of the James Bond franchise after longtime producer Barbara Broccoli allegedly insulted his executives, calling them “***king idiots,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sources say Bezos reacted immediately, demanding her removal "at any cost," which resulted in a $1 billion deal that placed the franchise entirely under Amazon’s control.
Amazon acquired MGM in 2022, gaining distribution rights to Bond films, but creative authority remained with Eon Productions, led by Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. The producers resisted Amazon’s vision for spin-offs, including a Moneypenny series and a female-led 007 project, preferring to preserve Bond’s traditional storyline.
Tensions escalated in late 2024 when Broccoli reportedly told associates she did not trust “algorithm-driven Amazon” to manage the Bond brand. She also described the franchise as being in crisis, with no script, story, or lead actor confirmed. During a conversation with executives, she allegedly remarked, “These people are ***king idiots.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bezos was furious upon reading the remarks in the Wall Street Journal. “He got on the phone and said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, get rid of her,’” an insider claimed. Soon after, Amazon finalized a $1 billion agreement to strip Broccoli and Wilson of creative control, making Bond’s future Amazon MGM Studios' sole responsibility.
Following the deal’s completion in February 2025, Bezos posted a headline on X stating, “James Bond’s long-serving producers give control to Amazon,” alongside the caption, “Who’d you pick as the next Bond?”