How much did Amazon pay EON Productions for the James Bond rights? A lot less than we thought
When Amazon purchased MGM for $8.5 billion back in 2022, they found themselves in the James Bond business, as the Bond franchise was set up at MGM – and they wanted to start making Bond movies as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, creative disagreements between Amazon MGM Studios and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions slowed down the process. So, earlier this year Amazon paid off Wilson and Broccoli so they can gain creative control over the franchise for the foreseeable future – and, at the time, the reported price was another $1 billion. As it turns out, Eon got a lot less cash than we thought they did.
Deadline reports that EON Productions has filed an earnings report in the UK, revealing that Amazon MGM Studios paid them just $20 million for the Bond rights. What a bargain! Here’s the earnings report: “On 20 February 2025, the company entered into an agreement for the sale of its interest in the Bond franchise, all associated assets as well as its subsidiary companies, B24 Limited and B25 Limited. The total consideration for the sale amounted to $20 million (USD).” Deadline notes that the deal could have also included Amazon stock options, but still, we thought the amount paid would have been much higher.
Since removing EON Productions from the picture, Amazon MGM Studios has been working to get their new Bond movie together, hiring Amy Pascal of Pascal Pictures and David Heyman of Heyday Films to produce the film. Denis Villeneuve signed on to take the helm, even though he’s busy with his film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, which is scheduled to reach theatres on December 16, 2026. While Villeneuve is in Dune world, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is getting the screenplay ready. Villeneuve provided the following statement: “Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.“
Amazon has also been bumbling through their presentation of the Bond films on their Amazon Prime streaming service, first removing all guns from the films’ digital posters and then simply cropping them out.
What do you think of EON Productions agreeing to take just $20 million from Amazon for the James Bond rights? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
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