James Bond has some new caretakers. Former Sony Pictures chief and producer of the “Spider-Man” and “Spider-Verse” films Amy Pascal and “Harry Potter” and “Gravity” producer David Heyman are being eyed to oversee the 007 franchise for Amazon MGM Studios with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson ceding control, IndieWire has learned.
Pascal and Heyman are just in talks at the moment, as the deal reported last month between Amazon MGM and the Broccolis is still being finalized. Amazon MGM had no comment.
Amazon MGM on February 20 announced it was forming a new joint venture to house the James Bond IP, with the studio obtaining creative control of the franchise. Broccoli has been the main caretaker of the franchise’s direction for decades, along with her half-brother Wilson.
The last Bond film to hit the screen was “No Time to Die” in 2021, the final entry starring Daniel Craig, who only made five Bond films but had the longest tenure as Bond, dating all the way back to 2006 with “Casino Royale.” Amazon purchased MGM in 2022 for $8.5 billion, acquiring all the IP and library rights to over 4,000 films and 17,000 shows, but the crown jewel of that library, 007, had remained in limbo.
The Wall Street Journal had a lengthy report about the friction and differences of opinion between the Broccolis and the other powers that be at Amazon MGM, and though the Broccolis had collaborated with Amazon MGM on other projects and some unscripted Bond projects for TV, the films did not have a direction or a new Bond to take up the mantle. More eyebrows were raised in the wake of the news when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos asked fans online who they wanted to see cast as 007.
Pascal, since leaving Sony in 2015, has become one of the most successful franchise producers in Hollywood. She’s produced Sony’s “Spider-Verse” animated films, the Tom Holland “Spider-Man” MCU films, and critical darlings like “Little Women” and last year’s “Challengers.” While at Sony, she also oversaw the release of the most commercially successful Bond film to date, 2012’s “Skyfall.”
Heyman, of course, is no slouch. He produced all the “Harry Potter” films and the “Fantastic Beasts” follow-ups and has the “Potter” series reboot at HBO, and some of his other box office hits have included “Gravity,” “Paddington 2,” “Once Upon a Time …i n Hollywood,” and “Barbie.” He’s also a producer on the Matthew McConaughey film “The Rivals of Amziah King,” which just premiered at SXSW and is seeking distribution.
When Scott Stuber left Netflix to relaunch United Artists under Amazon MGM, there was the feeling that he could be in line to shepherd Bond considering the label’s history with the 007 franchise.
Puck first reported the news of Pascal and Heyman’s involvement.
