James Bond films are currently not available online unless a specific deal is struck with its production and distribution house, MGM. However, a recent deal may change this in the future, as the dust settles on a major takeover in the world of entertainment.
At the moment, James Bond films are not available online, however, it looks as though this will change thanks to a recent business acquisition.
Today it was announced Amazon Prime has purchased MGM, the 97-year-old studio behind a whole host of major film franchises, including James Bond, Rocky, and various TV series like The Handmaid’s Tale.
The company acquisition has cost $8.45billion (£6billion) and includes past and upcoming releases from the studio.
The acquisition has been brewing for some time, but it could mean the MGM catalogue, which is more than 4,000 films, will become available on the platform for fans to enjoy.
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One thing to point out, in the case of Bond, is the franchise is only half-owned by MGM, with the other half owned by Danjaq, which is co-owned by EON productions’ Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
As a result, it may be this means little change for Bond, given the stronghold of the Broccoli children.
However, it has been reported the Bond franchise will be some of the films to end up on Amazon Prime, though timings are not clear.
This may also mean upcoming releases, like Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci and No Time to Die, could be made available online faster than we might usually expect.
At the moment, there has not been any confirmation from either side about whether the release schedule for these films will change.
There has also been no confirmation on any changes to the mode of release, for example, a simultaneous release model which has been trialled by Warner Bros with HBO Max.
Mike Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said in a statement: “MGM has a vast catalogue with more than 4,000 films—12 Angry Men, Basic Instinct, Creed, James Bond, Legally Blonde, Moonstruck, Poltergeist, Raging Bull, Robocop, Rocky, Silence of the Lambs, Stargate, Thelma & Louise, Tomb Raider, The Magnificent Seven, The Pink Panther, The Thomas Crown Affair, and many other icons—as well as 17,000 TV shows—including Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Vikings—that have collectively won more than 180 Academy Awards and 100 Emmys.
“The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP [intellectual property] in the deep catalogue that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM’s talented team.
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“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the MGM team who have helped us arrive at this historic day.
“I am very proud that MGM’s Lion, which has long evoked the Golden Age of Hollywood, will continue its storied history, and the idea born from the creation of United Artists lives on in a way the founders originally intended, driven by the talent and their vision.
“The opportunity to align MGM’s storied history with Amazon is an inspiring combination.”
The other aspect of this acquisition which is unclear is whether the MGM label will be perceived as separate from Amazon Studios, like the Marvel label under Disney.
However, one thing which is likely is the 25 James Bond films will end up on Amazon Prime, and Express.co.uk will update this story with further information as it arises.
