I’ve had some time to digest the news: Amazon is taking over creative control of James Bond. We’ve been given producer names, prospective release dates…And guess what, kids? Daddy’s excited.
I’m sauntering around the kitchen, tending to a four-hour Bolognese that is set to feed the family in an hour. I’ve got a Costa coffee in one hand, a third glass of crisp French white in the other. It’s not expensive, but I like it. Vieux Papes—a little French flag on the label makes me feel fancy. Old popes, a cuvée reserve. Fresh citrus, apricot, incredible nose and lemon on the pallet. Yes please.
Writing requires ritual. First the wine. Then, the right watch. Today, my Tudor Oyster Prince. Vintage 1960s, oxblood red dial, high-polish faceted numerals with the Rolex crown at 3 o’clock. A simple black lizard strap,—the 34mm case is the perfect size for a man’s watch. How’s that for your toxic masculinity?
Next, music. Interpol—Lights. That eerie, brooding energy permeates in the HomePod. Perfect. I’ll let the whole album play through.
Mood set. Now, Bond.
The Amazon Takeover
When I first read the news, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Oddly enough, my best friend—who cares far less about Bond than I do—reposted it weeks ago. A meme of Jeff Bezos with devil horns, followed by another casting him as the new Ernst Stavro Blofeld.this broke the news for me
Then, of course, there was the report that Barbara Broccoli had grown weary of Amazon’s antics. Apparently, she called them—quote—”f***ing idiots.” That didn’t sit well with Bezos. And rather than retaliate, he did what men of his ilk do best: he bought them out.If Amazon wants to pay me one billion dollars to call them “f***ing idiots” in the press, I am more than happy to oblige.
But I digress, let’s process this news.
EON is out. Amazon now controls Bond’s future. Cue the online mourning—the fanbase wailing about the death of the franchise. But unlike most devotees, I find myself excited.
This is a new frontier. A new adventure. This is a chance to see if corporatization can improve Bond—or if this is, in fact, the final bullet to the back of the head. Maybe capitalism has once again murdered art. We’ll see.
But how do I feel?
I take a logical approach. I’m typically 90% logic, 10% feeling on these things.
What History Tells Us
If I were ranking my favorite Bonds – Daniel Craig sits at the top. Not because his movies are perfect, but because they are the most beautifully shot. More than that, Craig imposes himself on the role. He’s also the second best actor to play Bond.
The best? Timothy Dalton. No contest.
And here’s why that matters.
Dalton’s films are often considered low points in the franchise. I disagree. They aren’t bad movies; they’re cheap movies. Rushed, underfunded, and very much products of the ’80s. Dalton himself? Fantastic. But he wasn’t the first choice—Pierce Brosnan was meant to be Bond then.
Yet despite Dalton giving us some of the best written and best acted Bond films, they failed at the box office.
And what happened next? A reboot. A return to blockbuster filmmaking.
Enter Brosnan.
Now, Brosnan’s era has its critics. But as a Bond fan born in 1991, I have a soft spot for it. Is he my favorite? No. Is he the best actor to play the role? No. But did he look the part? Absolutely. His effortless cool was second only to Connery.
So when I look at this transition, I think back to the last one. Yes, EON was still in control back then. But what if they got it wrong? What if Dalton’s films would have been better with Brosnan? What if a different director, a bigger budget, a different approach would have changed everything?
The Bond franchise is resilient. The Timothy Dalton era didn’t kill it. Amazon won’t kill it either.
What can kill it?
Mediocrity.
Amazon is one of the richest companies on earth. They can make an incredible Bond film. They can also make something soulless and shiny—The Grey Man, but with an Aston Martin.
That said, I remain optimistic. The Bond formula exists. Hell, even AI can write a halfway decent Bond script at this point. So let’s give Amazon a shot. If it’s bad? We skewer them. But let’s keep an open mind.
Merchandising: The Untapped Goldmine
One of the most exciting prospects in this deal? Merchandising.
The Bond Experience has covered this in depth, but here’s my take…Amazon has the infrastructure to flood the market with fun Bond products.
Right now, the 007 store is a bit of a joke. Overpriced. Constantly out of stock. If you’re lucky, you can buy a poor quality polo not made by Sunspel.
Amazon changes that.
Bond gear should be more than just expensive collector’s items. Imagine an Omega store that actually engages with fans. Imagine affordable versions of Bond’s essentials. The lifestyle shouldn’t just be aspirational—it should be accessible.
Right now, Bond is locked behind a paywall.
The Barbour Beacon ? £350. The jumper? £300. The watch? £7,000.
Bond needs to remain high brow, but there has to be a wider entry point. Amazon can provide that. Either with new items or with memorabilia
The Clock is Ticking
Final thought: Bond enters the public domain soon. Amazon only has a limited window before others get their hands on him.
If Bond isn’t defined now, someone else will redefine him.
That means Amazon has a huge responsibility. If they screw this up, we could see a future where Bond is completely sanitised—stripped of everything that made him cool. He may be reduced to some generic, neutered action hero.
But if they get it right?
Then we should be looking at another 60 years of Bond.
The Next Bond?
Now, let’s address the Henry Cavill debate.
A certain segment of the fanbase believes Cavill is the perfect Bond. These people have never read a Fleming novel or subsequently have not watched his screen tests and auditions for the role – yikes
Bond isn’t supposed to be that good-looking. He’s not meant to be some carved-from-marble Greek god. He should be attractive, yes, but in an understated way. The sort of man you don’t immediately notice, but once you do, you remember.
Cavill? Too much of a traditional leading man. But a Bond villain? That I’d like to see.
And while we’re at it—Cavill’s new deal with Longines means he’s unlikely to be Bond. Bond wears Omega, and Swatch Group isn’t about to let their golden goose trade down.
Imagine Cavill as a villain, with a nice new Longines, facing off against a Bond sporting a new, knockout Omega. The watch world would go mad. The franchise missed the mark by not pushing Mads Mikelson’s Evidenza chronograph from Casino Royale. Maybe I’ll buy one before putting this out.
Would it happen? Maybe. Would it make sense? Absolutely.
Final Thoughts :
At the end of the day, this could be good for Bond.
It’s good for the brands. It could be great for the fans. And most importantly?
It’s good for your man right here.