While the acquisition of MGM by Amazon was a win-win for both the studio and the tech empire, not everybody is happy with the news, as James Bond screenwriter John Logan recently expressed.
In an opinion piece he penned for The New York Times, Logan, who wrote “Skyfall” and “Spectre”, admitted that he is worried for the future of 007 – one of MGM’s biggest titles – as it is not just another franchise like Marvel or DC, but a family business that has been “carefully nurtured and shepherded through the changing times by the Broccoli/Wilson family”.
He stated that while Eon Productions chiefs Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are still calling the shots when it comes to everything related to the title, he wonders if it will always be the case.
“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 is a bit alienating, so could we have more Americans in the story for marketability?” he wrote.
Logan stated that Amazon is ultimately a “global technology company” and not necessarily a “champion or guardian of artistic creativity or original entertainment”.
“Bond’s not ‘content,’ and he’s not a mere commodity. He has been a part of our lives for decades now. From Sean Connery to George Lazenby to Roger Moore to Timothy Dalton to Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig, we all grew up with our version of 007, so we care deeply about him. Please let 007 drink his martinis in peace. Don’t shake him, don’t stir him,” he added.
On the other hand, the upcoming James Bond movie, “No Time to Die” is set to be released in theatres on 8 October.
