Amazon to have the final control of the new James Bond film not Denis Villeneuve

James Bond may have a license to kill but Amazon MGM Studios has complete control and power over the franchise that is being worked on by Denis Vileneuve. The studio has officially secured creative control of the 007 franchise after a $20 million deal with longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson of Eon Productions. The figure is a fraction of the billion-dollar estimates that initially made the rounds when talks began.

Under this new deal, Amazon MGM, Broccoli and Wilson will be co-owners of the Bond intellectual property where the structure will let the tech giant steer the creative direction while the family makes profits.

Following Amazon’s $8.5 billion purchase of MGM in 2021, the company already held distribution rights to all existing Bond films but had little artistic influence. Now, that’s changed. The newly formed entity, London Operations, LLC, registered in Delaware and based at Amazon’s Culver City offices, has begun filing new trademarks for Bond-related projects, confirming its role as the franchise’s new operational home.

As part of its aggressive expansion into blockbuster filmmaking, Amazon tapped producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman to oversee the next Bond installment. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will be penning the screenplay. Yet despite the star-studded creative team, Amazon will make the final calls, a seismic shift for a franchise historically guided by the Broccoli family’s creative instincts.

The next James Bond film’s most pressing mystery isn’t its villain, it’s who will inherit the tux after Daniel Craig’s farewell in No Time to Die.

More details about Denis Villeneuve's James Bond

36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards - Source: Getty

Denis Villeneuve is suiting up for his most unexpected mission yet: James Bond. Since June 2025 the director has been confirmed to direct Bond 26, the first film under Amazon MGM Studios and the first without the Broccolis, who officially handed over the franchise in early 2025.

According to Deadline, Villeneuve will start casting after wrapping up Dune: Part Three in 2026. The goal is to find a “fresh face” in his late twenties or early thirties, someone from the British Isles who embodies what Ian Fleming once called “a blunt instrument.” That eliminates most fan-favorite names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Glen Powell.

Villneuve expressed his gratitude for being a part of this franchise as he stated

"I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor."

Knight’s script reportedly revisits Bond’s naval beginnings and the origins of his 007 title, signaling a complete reboot that ignores No Time to Die’s ending. The film aims for a November 2028 release, with production expected in 2027.