James Bond franchise future ‘at critical juncture’ after Daniel Craig admit 007 producers

After several delays, Daniel Craig’s fifth and final James Bond movie No Time To Die should hopefully release in UK cinemas on September 30. And as 2022 marks the 007 films’ 60th anniversary, speculation continues to be rife on who will play the new Bond and what the next reboot will look like. Following Amazon’s acquisition of MGM in an $8.45 billion merger, the Bond producers have admitted that the 007 franchise is “at a critical juncture.”

In a statement to The New York Times in a piece on MGM chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson commented on a 007 future beyond Daniel Craig.

They said: “Mike and Pam understand that we are at a critical juncture and that the continuing success of the James Bond series is dependent on us getting the next iteration right and will give us the support we need to do this.

“Amazon has assured us that Bond will continue to debut in movie theatres.

“Our hope is that they will empower Mike and Pam to continue to run MGM unencumbered.”

Edlitz previously told us that the Bond producers are not afraid to take risks to evolve the 007 franchise.

He said: “Three-time Bond screenwriter Bruce Feirstein told me that Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson know where the dead ends are in the scripting stage. While Richard Maibaum, who wrote 13 Bond scripts, talked about the collaborative nature of writing a 007 film.

“The screenwriter said that he would sit in a room with producers Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, as well as the director, production designer and editor and everyone would pitch ideas.

“Everyone I’ve spoken with said that the producers are collaborative and are welcoming of new ideas. However, they’ve been down this road so many times and they have a responsibility to protect the long-term interests of the franchise.”

Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter John Hodge famously left Bond 25 over “creative differences”, although Edlitz is in the dark on what went on behind-the-scenes there.

Nevertheless, the author added: “But the Daniel Craig Bond films took risks that to some would seem unfathomable years before.”

And on where the 007 franchise could go next he said: “I think EON is clearly interested in experimenting and pushing the boundaries in what is expected in a Bond film.”

No Time To Die hits UK cinemas on September 30, 2021

READ THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE HERE