The world may have to wait for the next James Bond movie a little longer than usual now the latest installment has been put on hold due to a feud between MGM Studios and longterm James Bond producer/owner Barbara Broccoli.
A recent report over at the Wall Street Journal revealed that MGM wants to mine the James Bond IP for a series of “Marvel-style” spinoffs, which Barbara Broccoli vehemently opposes.
“Nearly three years after Amazon acquired the right to release Bond movies through its $6.5 billion purchase of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio, the relationship between the family that oversees the franchise and the e-commerce giant has all but collapsed,” reported WSJ.
Broccoli was quoted calling the studio “fucking idiots” for pushing the idea James Bond can become some kind of cinematic universe focused on a dozen characters. She also reportedly does not believe that Amazon, which owns MGM, should be the studio to carry on the franchise, believing that they have been holding it “hostage.”
News about James Bond’s pause comes after the previous franchise star, Daniel Craig, said that he had some “reservations” about accepting the role, with the biggest being the character’s “construct of masculinity.”
Speaking with The New Yorker about his upcoming LGBTQ-themed movie Queer, Craig said he struggled with accepting James Bond’s persona as a globe-trotting, debonair ladies man.
“I would say one of my biggest reservations about playing [Bond] would be the construct of masculinity,” he told the outlet. “It was often very laughable, but you can’t mock it and expect it to work. You have to buy into it.”
Actress Gemma Arterton, who played Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace, also weighed in on the controversy of who James Bond should be in the modern world by denouncing the idea of a female Bond.
“They talk about it, but I think people would find it too outrageous. Sometimes you just have to respect the tradition,” she said.
“Isn’t a female James Bond like Mary Poppins being played by a man?” she added.
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