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Amazon has held “exploratory talks” about acquiring Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, James Bond’s home studio, Forbes said as part of a broader story about MGM.
The Forbes story had few additional details about Amazon’s interest. Amazon and MGM declined to comment to Forbes.
Instead, Forbes went into detail about how it will be difficult for MGM to get the kind of price ($10 billion) it wants. A key excerpt of interest to Bond film fans:
The problem is that MGM’s collection of great movies is dated and losing value by the minute. Barbara Broccoli and her half brother Michael G. Wilson, who maintain an iron grip over the Bond franchise — a deal initially hammered out decades ago by Broccoli’s father, producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli — have the final say over casting decisions, dialog and promotional materials related to 007 — adding complexity to any deal talks.
In 2017, The Hollywood Reporter said that Amazon and Apple Inc. were seeking the Bond film rights. Nothing ever came of that. Forbes, in its story, says Apple “remains a speculative wild-card” in terms of buying MGM.
In general, movies have been turned upside down by Netflix’s streaming service. Walt Disney Co. and AT&T’s Warner Bros. are orienting themselves toward streaming and de-emphasizing their traditional theater-released movie model.
Netflix, AT&T’s HBO Max, and Disney’s Disney Plus all feature in-house content. (MGM films before 1986, such as Ben Hur, Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and Mutiny on the Bounty, are part of the Warner Bros. film library that’s included with HBO Max.)
MGM doesn’t have a streaming service. But both Amazon and Apple have such services.
MGM is owned by a group of hedge funds led by Anchorage Capital. They took over following an MGM bankruptcy in 2010.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of MGM’s dysfunctional relationship with the Bond franchise. MGM acquired United Artists, Bond’s original studio, in 1981 after insurance conglomerate Transamerica Corp. decided to get out of the movie business.
MGM has the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, on hold until October, the latest in a series of release dates. The movie has been pushed back since April 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cicely Tyson and Ivan Dixon in So Long Patrick Henry, the first episode of I Spy broadcast by NBC in 1965.
Cicely Tyson has died after a long and distinguished career in acting. Her passing on Jan. 28, at the age of 96, prompted many tributes.
“In a remarkable career of seven decades, Ms. Tyson broke ground for serious Black actors by refusing to take parts that demeaned Black people,” according to an obituary in The New York Times. “She urged Black colleagues to do the same, and often went without work.”
Tyson made her presence known during television shows created during the 1960s spy craze.
She played a supporting role in So Long Patrick Henry, the first episode of I Spy that was broadcast on Sept. 15, 1965. Tyson portrayed an African princess who was engaged to Elroy Browne, a U.S. athlete who had defected to China during the 1964 Olympics in Japan.
The episode was not the show’s pilot. But it was one of four first-season episodes written by star Robert Culp. NBC moved the episode up to be the premiere for the series.
Tyson returned in a second-season episode of I Spy, Trial by Treehouse, that aired during the show’s second season.
The actress also was a guest star in a 1970 episode of Mission: Impossible, Death Squad. The IMF’s Barney Collier (Greg Morris) is vacationing in a Latin American country and falls in love with Tyson’s character, artist Alma Ross.
The brother of a police official obsesses over Alma. The police official runs a death squad and Barney soon is targeted to be its next victim.
What follows is a sampling of the many tributes to Tyson.
This one cuts deep. @IAmCicelyTyson was my first screen Mom.. Elegance, warmth, beauty, wisdom, style and abundant grace. She was as regal as they come. An artist of the highest order, I will love her forever… ♥️ RIP pic.twitter.com/69Awj7qI8o
What a beautiful life @IAmCicelyTyson. 96 years of pure light and love. Thank you for a lifetime of sharing your wisdom, and talent with the world. You lived a legendary life filled with elegance, and grace. Your legacy will live on forever. I will miss you my dear friend. pic.twitter.com/p66M6GNCvl
At this point, complaining about expensive James Bond merchandise is almost beyond the point. It’s clear that Eon Productions has a bias toward expensive licensed merch — outrageously priced backgammon sets, replica Aston Martin DB cars that can’t be driven on the street, etc.
Nevertheless, on social media today, a new Moonraker hoodie (price of 150 British pounds, or more than $205) caught some attention.
The hoodie includes an image of a Moonraker publicity still of Roger Moore in a space suit (never seen in the film). The image includes a garish typeface apparently meant to resemble handwriting. “Am I properly dressed for the occasion?”
Still, the entry on the 007 Store has the usual hype.
Introducing an exclusive 007 collaboration with luxury Italian streetwear brand Throwback.
The 007 x Throwback collection features hoodies and t-shirts paying tribute to iconic moments from Bond on-screen. Each design features original artwork by Italian digital artist Gianpiero, who has reimagined and enhanced classic images from the Bond Archive using iconic movie quotes from the series. A production anecdote from each film is printed on the back of each garment, giving further insight into the 007 world.
If that’s higher than you care to pay, you may want to buy six pencils with Bond film quotes for just 14.95 British pounds (roughly $20.50). Of course, if you actually write with the pencils, you’ll grind the quotes away as you sharpen them.
The Sun, Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. tabloid, has a story out saying that at least some No Time to Die product placement sponsors want reshoots to update their wares in the 25th James Bond film.
The article has a long passage quoting an insider (not identified) who comments on the situation. An excerpt:
“The problem is that some of those things were the very latest models back when they started filming.
“But by the time the movie comes out now it will look like Daniel Craig and all of the other cast members are carrying something that has been out for ages. That isn’t really the point of these deals.
“The big tech firms want the stars to have all the new up-and-coming products to help promote them and sell them to fans.”
Understandably, there was some skepticism among fans who read the story. For example:
–It might be hard to assemble to assemble the cast and crew for reshoots at the moment because of international travel restrictions related to COVID-19.
–Couldn’t some of this be taken care of with CGI or insert shots?
–It’s The Sun for crying out loud!
Last point first. The Sun hardly is a beacon of journalism but it has had some No Time to Die scoops, including reporting on details of a June 2019 accident at the 007 Stage that caused one injury.
No Time to Die was filmed from April to October 2019 so, yes, Bond and friends likely don’t have the most up-to-date products in No Time to Die. The movie has been delayed three times in less than a year because of COVID-19. The current release date is October 2021.
On top of that, when many of the product placement deals were struck, No Time to Die was supposed to be out in November 2019. But then-director Danny Boyle left the project. Cary Fukunaga was signed to replace him but the switch caused No Time to Die to be pushed back to, first February 2020 and then April 2020. Subsequent delays stemmed from COVID.
It is possible No Time to Die’s business partners are feeling a bit burned. In the fall of 2020, several debuted No Time to Die-related promotions. But then the movie got delayed to April 2021. Last week, it was pushed back again, this time without sponsor promotions.
No Time to Die product placement deals include Nokia, Land Rover, DHL, Omega, Aston Martin and Bollinger.
Last week saw another delay announced for No Time to Die. That has prompted some entertainment news websites to look back at how the gap between SPECTRE and No Time to Die ranks among Bond films.
With that in mind, here’s the blog’s own list.
You Only Live Twice (1967) to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969): This isn’t getting the attention as the others.
But You Only Live Twice came out in June of 1967 while On Her Majesty’s Secret Service debuted in December 1969. That was about two-and-a-half years. Today? No big deal. But at the time, the Bond series delivered entries in one- or two-year intervals.
This period included the first re-casting of the Bond role, with George Lazenby taking over from Sean Connery. Also, Majesty’s was an epic shoot.
The Man With the Golden Gun (1974) to The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): This period often is written up as the first big delay in the series made by Eon Productions.
It’s easy to understand why. The partnership between Eon founders Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman broke up. There were delays in beginning a new Bond film. Guy Hamilton originally was signed to direct but exited, with Lewis Gilbert eventually taking over. Many scripts were written. And Eon and United Arists were coming off with a financial disappointment with Golden Gun.
Still, Golden Gun premiered in December 1974 while Spy came along in July 1977. That’s not much longer than the Twice-Majesty’s gap. For all the turmoil that occurred in the pre-production of Spy, it’s amazing the gap wasn’t longer.
Licence to Kill (1989) to GoldenEye (1995): This is the big one. Licence came out in June 1989 (it didn’t make it to the U.S. until July) while GoldenEye didn’t make it to theater screens until November 1995.
In the interim, there was a legal battle between Danjaq (Eon’s parent company) and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Bond’s home studio, which had acquired UA in 1981. MGM had been sold, went into financial trouble, and was taken over by a French bank. The legal issues were sorted out in 1993 and efforts to start a new Bond film could begin in earnest.
This period also saw the Bond role recast, with Pierce Brosnan coming in while Timothy Dalton exited. In all, almost six-and-a-half years passed between Bond film adventures.
Die Another Day (2002) to Casino Royale (2006): After the release of Die Another Day, a large, bombastic Bond adventure, Eon did a major reappraisal of the series.
Eventually, Eon’s Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson decided on major changes. Eon now had the rights to Casino Royale, Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel. So the duo opted to start the series over with a new actor, Daniel Craig and a more down-to-earth approach.
Quantum of Solace (2008) to Skyfall (2012): MGM had another financial setback with a 2010 bankruptcy. That delayed development of a new Bond film. Sam Mendes initially was a “consultant” because MGM’s approval was needed before he officially was named director.
Still, the gap was only four years (which today seems like nothing) from Quantum’s debt in late October 2008 to Skyfall’s debut in October 2012.
SPECTRE (2015) to No Time to Die (?): Recent delays are due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But pre-production got off to a slow start below that.
MGM spent much of 2016 trying to sell itself to Chinese investors but a deal fell through. Daniel Craig wanted a break from Bond. So did Eon’s Barbara Broccoli, pursuing small independent-style movies such as Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool and Nancy, as well as a medium-sized spy movie The Rhythm Section.
Reportedly, a script for a Bond movie didn’t start until around March 2017 with the hiring (yet again) of Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The hiring was confirmed in summer 2017. Craig later in summer of 2017 said he was coming back.
Of course, one director (Danny Boyle) was hired only to depart later. Cary Fukunaga was hired to replace him. More writers (Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Scott Z. Burns) arrived. The movie finally was shot in 2019.
Then, when 2020 arrived, the pandemic hit. No Time to Die currently has an October 2021 release date. We’ll see how that goes.
Huh. In the middle of a ranging pandemic, No Time to Die got delayed again, this time to October 2021. Naturally, the blog has questions.
Is anybody really surprised?
No. Both the U.S. and U.K. aren’t doing very well coping with COVID-19. Movie theaters in many markets are closed or operating at limited capacity. And various other “tentpole” movies are looking to delay.
Also, movies are hardly alone. There was a report by The Times of London (summarized by Reuters) that the 2021 Olympics in Japan, already postponed from last year, may get canceled altogether. Olympics organizers responded with a statement that they’re “fully focused” on holding the games this summer.
Vaccines have been developed, but at least in the U.S., deployment has been slow.
Anything unusual about the announcement itself?
Very short, very terse. COVID wasn’t referenced. No other reason given. Maybe by this time, the publicity machine at Eon Productions figures everybody knows the score. All Eon needed was to provide the date.
Anything else?
The announcement on Eon’s official website said No Time to Die will be released “globally” on Oct. 8. Typically, Bond films are spread out a bit, often starting in the U.K. but not arriving in the U.S. until days later. We’ll see if a simultaneous release actually happens.
Any reactions of your own?
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Bond’s home studio, is in a box. MGM reportedly 1) shopped No Time to Die to streaming services but couldn’t get the price it wanted 2) didn’t tell its business partner (Eon) right away. The result was another chapter in a 40-year dysfunctional relationship.
MGM is in a box for another reason. No Time to Die’s cost was approaching $290 million as of mid-2020, according to a U.K. regulatory filing. MGM also reportedly is incurring $1 million a month in interest expenses for the money it borrowed to finance the movie.
MGM and Eon thought they had a $1 billion global box office blockbuster on their hands. That was pre-COVID.
The studio really needs No Time to Die to be a blockbuster at theaters before a home video release. It remains to be seen how quickly people will return to theaters even with COVID-19 vaccinations.
Finally, all of this is taking place as MGM reportedly is up for sale. Bond is the studio’s big asset and having all this uncertainty probably isn’t helping the sales process.
No Time to Die’s release date was pushed back by six months to Oct. 8, according to the official Eon Productions 007 website and a post on Twitter.
No reason was given. The website statement, in its entirety, read: “No Time To Die will be released in cinemas globally on 8 October 2021.” The Twitter post said even less. “NO TIME TO DIE 8 October 2021.”
The 25th James Bond film has been pushed back twice before (from April 2020 to November 2020 and November 2020 to April 2021) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus outbreak has at times forced movie theaters to close.
COVID-19 likely is a factor. The virus continues to hits some markets, including the U.S. and U.K., hard. Another delay has been expected by many Bond fans.
No Time to Die’s cost approached $290 million as of mid-2020, according to a U.K. regulatory filing. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Bond’s home studio, had been counting on a robust theatrical run before the pandemic started.
There’s a lot of uncertainty concerning when Bond 25/No Time to Die will actually be seen by audiences. Regardless, there’s a lot of inconsequential gossip related to the movie.
Naturally, the blog has questions.
Hey, I read that Ben Affleck is breaking up with Ana de Armas. Does that have anything concerning No Time to Die?
Not really.
Are you sure?
Back in August, The Sun, Rupert Murdoch’s gossipy U.K. tabloid (the New York Post is Murdoch’s U.S. version) breathlessly reported that the makers of No Time to Die wanted to make sure Affleck didn’t show up to the premiere with de Armas. Other gossipy publications breathlessly picked up on it.
So that means the makers of No Time to Die must be happy, right?
I suppose.
What does that mean?
The makers of No Time to Die have a lot more to worry about. For example: Just when will No Time to Die really come out? Few really think it will be April (the current release date, only the latest among many).
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which is on the hook for almost $290 million (as of mid-2020) for No Time to Die is reportedly up for sale and it has more on its mind than Ben Affleck’s volatile love life.
Eon Productions, which actually makes the Bond films, probably isn’t happy that de Armas (who likely has a small part in No Time to Die) is a bigger star than Daniel Craig according to IMDB.COM’s STARmeter. Craig is the star and got paid a reported $25 million.
What makes you think that de Armas has a small part?
Because she wears the same evening dress in all the trailers and TV spots for No Time to Die. At this point, you’d think the editor of the trailers and TV spots could up with different shots of de Armas — if there were any.
Why do you refer to this as “pish posh”?
At this point, there’s not really much substantive to talk about No Time to Die. Gossip, like nature, abhors a vacuum.
Peter Mark Richman, a character actor who had a long career and often played villains, has died at 93, Variety reported.
He was often tapped by QM Productions for its various shows and was part of the “QM Players” of actors frequently employed by producer Quinn Martin.
Richman’s QM credits included The FBI (appearing as a guest star in eight of nine seasons), The Invaders, The Fugitive, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, and The Streets of San Francisco. The actor was part of a big cast for the QM TV movie House on Greenapple Road, which led to the Dan August series.
Richman also was called upon by casting directors for 1960s spy shows, including The Wild Wild West, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (the show’s two-part series finale), It Takes a Thief, and Mission: Impossible.
He also was the lead in Agent for H.A.R.M. (1966), which mixed spy fi with sci fi. The cast also included Aliza Gur, who earlier appeared in From Russia With Love as one of the two gypsy fighting women.
The production was poked fun at on Mystery Science 3000, where a host and two puppets (which were supposed to be robots) provided running commentary.
Richman’s IMDB.COM ENTRY lists more than 150 credits from 1953 to 2016.
UPDATE: The Silver Age Television account on Twitter embedded a clip where Richman appears. It’s pretty typical of the characters that Richman played.
Bond fans are waiting for another delay for the release of No Time to Die/Bond 25. If/when (probably when) that happens, the bigger question is for Bond 26 and beyond.
No Time to Die was a pre-COVID-19 movie with pre-COVID-19 finances. The 25th James Bond film ran up costs approaching $290 million as of mid-2020, according to a U.K, regulatory filing.
But, hey, it was a contender for a theatrical box office of $1 billion or more (split with theaters). Certainly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Bond’s home studio) and Danjaq LLC (parent company of Eon Productions) were working on that assumption.
Then, of course, COVID-19 changed everything. Theaters were shut down in many regions. And the virus — despite the emergence of vaccines — has not been brought to heel. At least not yet and maybe not soon.
Perhaps you can just kick the can. Delay the release date one, two, who knows how many times? Eventually, everything will be back to normal.
Won’t it?
No Time to Die is on the shelf. It will get shown. Sometime.
The big question is what happens with Bond 26, whenever that gets made, and in whatever form.
Studios such as Walt Disney Co. and AT&T’s Warner Bros. have embraced the streaming model model. MGM reportedly shopped No Time to Die around for a streaming deal but couldn’t get the price it wanted.
What’s more, MGM reportedly has put itself up for sale. The studio’s association with Bond will reach its 40th anniversary this year. The Bond-MGM association has been a rocky one, dysfunctional even.
Danjaq/Eon controls the rights to Bond. But Danjaq/Eon needs MGM (whether by itself or in alliance with other studios) to get 007 movies made.
Put another way, there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed before you can even talk about future Bond adventures.
Example: Is the traditional model of a big theatrical release followed by home video revenues even practical now? Or do studios need to reduce the costs of big “tentpole” films?
Of major tentpoles, Bond seemingly is in a good position to ramp down and do more cost-effective productions. The early 007 films such as Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, were pretty lean films.
Still, that was almost 60 years ago. Things change.
No Time to Die may be a rousing James Bond film. But Bond’s future still is being determined — and things are more uncertain than James Bond emerging triumphant at the end of a movie.
The Spy Command 