Production on the next James Bond film is underway after “being fast-tracked” for release following Amazon’s $1bn acquisition.
Last month, it was revealed that Amazon MGM had taken full creative control of the Bond franchise after striking a deal with long-time producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
While the pair will remain co-owners of the franchise, the transaction leaves creative control of all future productions in the hands of Amazon – a decision that has led to consternation among fans.
It’s now been reported that the next film – Bond 26 – will have a budget of £250m, which is around the same amount Daniel Craig’s final 007 outing No Time to Die cost.
According to The Sun, the film is expected to be in cinemas by the end of 2027, with a source stating: “The Bond bosses had already proposed broad plots and reboot ideas.
“The writers’ rooms are being assembled in the hope of recouping their investment ASAP.”
Bond films are typically released in October and November.
The hunt for a new Bond to replace Craig has heated up in recent weeks, with rumours including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson and James Norton. In terms of producers, Puck reports that David Heyman (Harry Potter) and Amy Pascal (Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films) are in talks to develop the outing.
In March 2024, it was reported that Taylor-Johnson has secured the role of Bond – but the actor distanced himself from the claims, stating: “I don’t feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like, whatever’s drawn out for me, I can f***ing do better.”
Amazon’s acquisition of the Bond franchise is expected to lead to a series of spin-offs, but the source states the streaming giant “knows fans want and expect a movie” and “wants filming to be done by the end of next year”.
When the film arrives, it will match the record for the longest time the world has had to wait for a new Bond film since Sean Connery first played the British spy in 1962’s Dr No. The previous record was GoldenEye, which arrived in 1995 – six years after Timothy Dalton appeared in Licence to Kill.
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Before Amazon’s takeover, news on the franchise had gone silent in recent years, with no formal plans for the next movie or any recruitment of the next Bond actor.
Wilson said in a statement: “With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects. Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
Broccoli added: “My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli.
“I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
