The new owners of James Bond have confirmed the beloved spy will stay a man after the franchise was taken over by Amazon. Despite speculation from some fans that 007 could be played by a female actor in the future, Amazon Studios has said the spy will remain male – and he will remain British.
The James Bond franchise and rights were bought by the billionaire for £770 million recently from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. The company shared an internal memo this week stating the gender and nationality of the fictional spy will not change, the Mail on Sunday reports.
A source told the publication: “There have been so many erroneous rumours about the future of Bond. Amazon is committed to keeping the spirit of Bond alive and that means he has to be British or from the Commonwealth and he has to be male.”
However, further details on who will play the next 007 remain up for discussion.
An Amazon insider said: “Jeff is a massive Bond fan and while he’s excited to see how Amazon can take the franchise forward there are certain things which are sacrosanct. That’s why the memo went out this week, to reassure everyone.
“But certain things are up for discussion, like whether the next Bond should be played by a man of colour.”
Though Wilson and Broccoli are holding onto their co-ownership titles, Amazon MGM Studios will be the new mastermind behind the iconic James Bond saga.
The duo have been fiercely loyal to the franchise, and Ms Broccoli is said to have drawn the line at Bond remaining British before agreeing to the sale.
Her father – and Mr Wilson’s stepfather – Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli bought the right to the spy from creator Ian Fleming in 1961.
Announcing the Amazon takeover, Broccoli said: “My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli.
“I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry.
“With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects,” she concluded.
Wilson added: “With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects.
“Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”