James Bond Writer Explains Why He's Worried About The Future of The Franchise Under Amazon's Rule

Not long ago it was announced that that Amazon had purchased MGM for $8.45 billion and they are planning to dig into some of the MGM franchises like James Bond and build on them. Well, James Bond franchise writer John Logan shared his thoughts on all of this, and he makes it clear that he’s worried about the future of the franchise.

In a recent article he wrote for The New York Times, Logan talked about his experience working on the James Bond films, and shares why the legendary character has stood the test of time over the years explaining that it’s a family business:

“Having worked as a writer on Skyfall and Spectre, I know that Bond isn’t just another franchise, not a Marvel or a DC; it is a family business that has been carefully nurtured and shepherded through the changing times by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Work sessions on Skyfall and Spectre were like hearty discussions around the dinner table, with Barbara Broccoli and her half brother Michael Wilson letting all the unruly children talk. Every crazy aunt or eccentric uncle was given a voice. We discussed and debated and came to a resolution, as families must, with no outside voices in the room. When you work on Bond movies, you’re not just an employee. You’re part of that family.”

Logan then goes on to express his concern over Amazon’s rule over the franchise and the demands that they’ll make in the creative process due to their company’s “obsession with customer experience.” He says:

“What happens if a bruising corporation like Amazon begins to demand a voice in the process? What happens to the comradeship and quality control if there’s an Amazonian overlord with analytics parsing every decision? What happens when a focus group reports they don’t like Bond drinking martinis? Or killing quite so many people? And that English accent’s a bit alienating, so could we have more Americans in the story for marketability?” He said.”

He went on to say that Amazon’s whole motivation is attracting and retaining customers. It’s not about the artists:

“In the context of the larger company, Amazon Prime Video is not chiefly about artists. It’s about attracting and retaining customers. And when bigger companies start having a say in iconic characters or franchises, the companies tend to want more, not better, and the quality differential can vary wildly, project to project.”

While we wait to see what happens with the franchise, we’ve got the No Time to Die James Bond movie from director Cary Joji Fukunaga coming out. It will be Daniel Craig’s final time playing James Bond. That movie comes out on October 8, 2021.

What do you think will happen with the James Bond franchise under the Amazon overlords?