The James Bond Film Discussion Thread (With Bonus Lazenby!)

[Starkers]

I'm happy they've been announced. We have no idea what kind of Bond film they'll eventually give us, but they're hugely experienced Hollywood producers so it at least shows Amazon is taking the matter seriously (and given how much they spent for the rights you'd expect nothing less).

It will be these guys who decide the actor playing Bond, the director and the writer(s) and those things will be the true test of how much hope to have for the future.

 

[oktay]

I'm happy they've been announced. We have no idea what kind of Bond film they'll eventually give us, but they're hugely experienced Hollywood producers so it at least shows Amazon is taking the matter seriously (and given how much they spent for the rights you'd expect nothing less).

It will be these guys who decide the actor playing Bond, the director and the writer(s) and those things will be the true test of how much hope to have for the future.

I hope they don't make Tom Holland a Bond and Zendaya a Bond girl. It's not that I don't like both of them. But these roles do not suit either of them.

 

[Samurai8472]

Andrew Garfield as James Bond….

Got the Amy pascal association
Got the British

 

[Starkers]

Zendaya could work as a Bond girl, but frankly I doubt Holland would be on anyone's radar as Bond.

And much as I like Garfield I don't see him as Bond either.

 

[oktay]

Did 007 Tribulations Seal Jennifer Salke’s Fate?

007 Trials & Tribulations Sealed Jennifer Salke Fate

deadline.com

 

[Starkers]

Saw Black Bag tonight.

I know he's too old but Amazon, just give me one Fassbender as Bond film, just one!

Amusingly he somehow manages to play George Smiley and James Bond simultaneously (if you can imagine that).

Plus it features a Bond (Brosnan) and a Moneypenny (Harris).

And Regé-Jean Page, who's on my Bond list if no one else's!

 

[Starkers]

Interestingly the head of Amazon MGM studies has left her job.

It's being being spun as a consensual move but is being perceived more as a termination in Hollywood.

By all accounts Jennifer Salke really rubbed Broccoli and Wilson up the wrong way so I wonder if she's been partially blamed for the delay in getting any new Bond content in the pipeline?

I could be wrong but this feels like a positive move for Bond following on from the appointment of experienced producers like Pascal and Heyman, especially given they only signed on if they could report to head of film Courtenay Valenti (who is apparently the only person Barbara Broccoli liked working with) rather than Salke.

It almost weirdly feels like part of the price for selling up for Broccoli and Wilson was an agreement as to who would take Bond forward.

Does seem strange Amazon didn't make these changes before hand, they could have saved themselves a billion dollars!

 

[Captaindemotion]

^A billion dollars is just a few months of my wife shopping with them anyway.

 

[oktay]

Behind Amazon MGM’s Jen Salke Ouster and Its Fallout

Yes, there were some big hits like 'Reacher.' But pricey underperformers like 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Citadel' along with little movement on the Bond franchise didn't help, even if, as chief Mike Hopkins is telling insiders, it was simply a matter of streamlining the org chart.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Amazon MGM Will Release 12-14 Films Theatrically In 2026 As Studio Commits “Financially And Philosophically” To The Big Screen – SXSW

Courtenay Valenti said at SXSW that Amazon MGM Studios will release 12-14 films in theaters next year as it ramps up its commitment to the big screen.

deadline.com

Amazon MGM Studios has divided into two departments: Film and TV. They also plan to release 12-14 films in theaters starting next year.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Who remembers when Amazon was primarily an online bookstore?

 

[Captaindemotion]

Who remembers when Amazon was primarily an online bookstore?

There’s a meme I’ve seen somewhere of late 1990s Bezos and the caption is that he looks like the guy Buffy the Vampire Slayer has to defeat midway through the season.

 

[Turtletrekker]

There’s a meme I’ve seen somewhere of late 1990s Bezos and the caption is that he looks like the guy Buffy the Vampire Slayer has to defeat midway through the season.

Now he's the big bad at the end of the season.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Who remembers when Amazon was primarily an online bookstore?

I said this in another thread, that back when I was taking a community college course on Information Technology here in Seattle in 1995, the classroom was wired for internet and the instructor had the students set up Amazon accounts, buy a book and have it shipped to your home/apartment, as a way of showing the future of online retail.
I still have that account. The only thing that has changed over the years is the bank account and the billing/shipping address.
I even remember where the first headquarters was located, in the old Beacon Hill hospital. I might try and find a photo of it and post it tonight after work.

Edit to add

Here is a photo of the old Beacon Hill Hospital, which served as Amazon's first headquarters.

 

[oktay]

Behind Amazon MGM’s Jen Salke Ouster and Its Fallout

Yes, there were some big hits like 'Reacher.' But pricey underperformers like 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Citadel' along with little movement on the Bond franchise didn't help, even if, as chief Mike Hopkins is telling insiders, it was simply a matter of streamlining the org chart.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Amazon MGM Will Release 12-14 Films Theatrically In 2026 As Studio Commits “Financially And Philosophically” To The Big Screen – SXSW

Courtenay Valenti said at SXSW that Amazon MGM Studios will release 12-14 films in theaters next year as it ramps up its commitment to the big screen.

deadline.com

Amazon MGM Studios has divided into two departments: Film and TV. They also plan to release 12-14 films in theaters starting next year.

Jennifer Salke Steps Down As Head Of Amazon MGM Studios, Segues To Producing With First-Look Deal

Jennifer Salke is stepping down as head of Amazon MGM Studios after seven years. The news was shared internally in a memo by Mike Hopkins.

deadline.com

“We’ve decided to flatten our leadership structure a bit,” Hopkins said, with Head of TV Vernon Sanders and Head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical Courtenay Valenti now reporting to him

Vernon Sanders is the President of TV and Courtenay Valenti is the President of Film, Broadcasting and Theatre.

 

[Commander Troi]

Saw Black Bag tonight.

I know he's too old but Amazon, just give me one Fassbender as Bond film, just one!

Amusingly he somehow manages to play George Smiley and James Bond simultaneously (if you can imagine that).

Plus it features a Bond (Brosnan) and a Moneypenny (Harris).

And Regé-Jean Page, who's on my Bond list if no one else's!

Is the movie good? The previews look fun.

 

[oktay]

Behind Amazon MGM’s Jen Salke Ouster and Its Fallout

Yes, there were some big hits like 'Reacher.' But pricey underperformers like 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Citadel' along with little movement on the Bond franchise didn't help, even if, as chief Mike Hopkins is telling insiders, it was simply a matter of streamlining the org chart.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Amazon MGM Will Release 12-14 Films Theatrically In 2026 As Studio Commits “Financially And Philosophically” To The Big Screen – SXSW

Courtenay Valenti said at SXSW that Amazon MGM Studios will release 12-14 films in theaters next year as it ramps up its commitment to the big screen.

deadline.com

Amazon MGM Studios has divided into two departments: Film and TV. They also plan to release 12-14 films in theaters starting next year.

Amazon MGM Studios Exploring International Theatrical Distribution Arm – The Dish

Amazon MGM Studios is looking to build out an international theatrical distribution division as they ramp up more features for the big screen.

deadline.com

Since Amazon wants to distribute its own films globally, they will establish an international distribution department in 2026.

 

[Starkers]

Is the movie good? The previews look fun.

Very good.

 

[oktay]

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By contrast, the Broccolis’ creative rights over Bond meant they controlled the key asset of MGM, which Hopkins had paid $8.5 billion to acquire, along with the rich library. Meaning that Salke, the supposed talent whisperer, alienated the one creator who actually mattered to Amazon. And even if she wasn’t the only one who used the C-word (content) to Barbara, a standoff that embarrassing kinda requires a public sacrifice. Even Bezos was pissed about the Bond situation. (Contrary to a report out there, though, he never said “get rid of her” about Broccoli, and in fact, Barbara had been negotiating the Bond sale before the Journal reported that she called the Amazon people “fucking idiots,” which supposedly infuriated Bezos.) Regardless, maybe Hopkins could have torn up that check to the Broccolis had he made this call about Salke six months ago. Or maybe not.

At the same time, the Amazon movie strategy has seemed to be in near-constant flux. Earlier this month, Salke and film chief Courtenay Valenti went to SXSW to declare that the studio will release 12 or so movies in theaters starting next year. Great, except Salke made a virtually identical pledge back in 2023.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Until it was pointed out in another forum, I'd forgotten that since Amazon owns the MGM library, they also own the rights to the Pink Panther films.
I can see it now, an Inspector Clouseau/James Bond crossover, coming soon to a streaming device near you.​

 

[Turtletrekker]

Until it was pointed out in another forum, I'd forgotten that since Amazon owns the MGM library, they also own the rights to the Pink Panther films.
I can see it now, an Inspector Clouseau/James Bond crossover, coming soon to a streaming device near you.​

Oh, I would so watch that.