Former Bond Timothy Dalton Speaks Out About Amazon MGM Taking Over Franchise
Former James Bond star Timothy Dalton has spoken out about the news of Amazon MGM taking over creative control of the 007 franchise from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, saying he is “sad” at the series’ future.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph (via Deadline), Dalton – who played the role in 1987’s The Living Daylights and 1989’s Licence To Kill – expressed his dissatisfaction of a wholly British icon and franchise now being under the watchful eyes of an American company, saying:
“It is one of the few wonderful stories we’ve got in film that is British. The leading character is British. We can call it our own,”
He continued that the series would miss both Broccoli and Wilson, with actor saying that Broccoli’s “unique touch” would be notable and that she had helped stopped the Ian Fleming’s character becoming “content”:
“Barbara is one of the best women in the whole world. I think she’s fantastic. Around a Bond movie, everyone’s got an opinion. That tends to make something less special, but if you keep it to people who know what they’re doing and know what they want, then it will sharpen up and be good. Barbara had that… I have no idea what Amazon would do with it, and I have no idea what the relationship of Amazon to the Broccolis will be. But it is a damn fine series of movies. I was watching it when I was young, we all were. It’s been part of our lives, so anything that threatens it is kind of sad.”
He hopes the studio, which took over the reins last week in a $1B deal, would still cast a British actor in the role – “that’s where it was born, that’s what the stories are” he said- and added “Everyone who’s got anything to do with it will be working very hard to make it a hit. Amazon are quite capable of making it a hit.”
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said the deal would paid homage to Bond’s heritage. “Since his theatrical introduction over 60 years ago, James Bond has been one of the most iconic characters in filmed entertainment … We are honored to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.”
Countless names, including James Norton, Henry Cavill, Theo James, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Jack Lowden, and Josh O’Connor, have all been linked with the role over the years since Daniel Craig departed the role in 2021 with No Time To Die.
About the Author
