While fans are still wondering whether or notDaniel Craigwill return as 007, theJames Bondfranchise faces another big change. Sony Pictures' distribution and marketing agreement with MGM and Eon Productions ended after the divisive 2015 filmSpectre, with the rights now currently up for grabs. A new report claims that Sony is one of five studios who are vying to get the rights for one of the longest-running franchises of all time.
The New York Timesreports that Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox andMegan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures is now in the running, with both Disney and Paramount bowing out of the proceedings. On Tuesday, Sony brought in CEOKazuo Hiraito help with the studio’s pitch, which emphasized their decade-long tradition of007 movies. Their pitch was even made on a soundstage, on a set re-created from the very firstJames Bondmovie,Dr. No, which was released in the U.S. in 1963.
While no specific details were given regarding the deal, this report claims that it will pay the studios, “surprisingly little,” with MGM and Eon only offering a one-movie deal at this time. Sony’s deal covered four movies, 2006’sCasino Royale($599 million worldwide), 2008’sQuantum of Solace($586 million worldwide),Skyfall($1.1 billion worldwide) andSpectre($880.6 million worldwide). MGM is owned by private equity firms like Anchorage Capital Partners, and the studio reportedly wants to keep its options open as they consider either selling the studio, or going public. While casting hasn’t been discussed at these meetings, the hope is thatDaniel Craigwill return as007for at least one more movie.
A report surfaced last year thatDaniel Craigwas offered a whopping $150 million by Sony Pictures to star in two moreJames Bondmovies, but that was never confirmed.Daniel Craighas starred in the past fourBond movies, but if he stars in a fifth movie, he will have secured the third longest tenure in franchise history, behind bothRoger Moore, who starred in seven Bond movies, andSean Connery, who starred in six. Still, his place in franchise history is quite secure, starring in the four highest-grossing movies in franchise history, including the only one to crack $1 billion worldwide,Skyfall.
This new report claims that under Sony’s previous agreement, the studio paid 50% of the production costs, with MGM and Eon picking up the other half, but Sony would only get 25% of the profits. Sony also had to pay tens of millions of dollars to market the movies, which were not recouped. As for the new Bond movie, ifDaniel Craigdoes agree to return as 007, the actor does have an opening in his schedule that would allow him to start production presumably sometime this year. We also reported last week thatJeffrey Wright, who played Felix Leiter inCasino RoyaleandQuantum of Solace, teased on social media that he may be returning to reprise his role inJames Bond 25, but that has yet to be confirmed. Once the studio has a new distribution home, hopefully we’l find out more about this long-awaited 007 movie.
