MOVIE NEWS – James Bond is heading into a new era with Amazon MGM Studios taking over creative control of the 60-year-old franchise. Following the departure of Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, another industry veteran has weighed in on the leadership change after deciding to step away from the franchise. Long-time casting director Debbie McWilliams had already made her decision to retire from the world of Bond before the recent bombshell announcement, but as per Screen Daily, she did not hesitate to share her unenthusiastic view on the saga’s future.

McWilliams’ blunt response stemmed mainly from Jeff Bezos’ social media post on X, where he asked fans who they would cast as the new James Bond. Of course, no one seriously believes the public will choose the next 007 – we all know how that would turn out – but McWilliams still referenced it in a sharp statement.

“Looking at Amazon’s previous theatrical films does not fill me with any great enthusiasm. If they mess with the Essence of Bond, they risk alienating a huge audience. Choosing the actor to fill the role is a huge task and not one I would hand over to subscribers of X.”

Amazon Faces a Huge Challenge

With Amazon MGM Studios now holding full ownership of the James Bond franchise, the road ahead could lead to either a brilliant reinvention or a bleak decline. The world of Bond is undoubtedly about to change, but exactly what that means remains uncertain. Even Amazon’s CEO admits that it will be a while before we see the full impact of this creative shift.

Amazon Wants to Get ‘James Bond’ Right

Any shake-up of this magnitude is bound to spark intense reactions from fans, but the truth about Bond’s future remains unknown until official plans are laid out. Many are bracing themselves for a flood of uninspired spinoffs, but Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy has insisted that the company’s main goal is to treat the franchise with care.

“We don’t have a plan yet on what the next theme is going to be. We haven’t – nobody’s written the story yet. But we will take great care. It’s an amazing franchise that we care a lot about and that we expect to develop over a long period of time. I don’t believe that AI is going to write a Bond movie any time soon.”

Jassy also stated that Amazon executives feel “incredibly honored to have the ability to help shepherd the Bond franchise for the next generation.”

Of course, long-time Bond fans are taking these words with a grain of salt. The real test of Amazon’s stewardship will come when casting decisions are made and the next film officially enters production. Until then, speculation will continue to run wild.

Source: Screen Daily