James Bond producers deny any desire to make a spin-off TV series for the Amazon streaming platform or any platform because they believe that they “make films for cinema.” The James Bond franchise will be coming up on its 60th year anniversary since Dr. No was released in theaters.
A little while ago it was announced that Amazon reached a deal to purchase MGM studios, which hosts many film franchises. James Bond is one of their most iconic properties, along with movie series such as Rocky/Creed, Robocop, Barbershop, Pink Panther, and Poltergeist. This deal, if it goes through, may mean that Amazon would like to revitalize many of these properties and the instant guess for many is that these new projects would go on their exclusive streaming platform.
The James Bond franchise is known for its movies. Most of the stories genuinely fit within the confines of a 1-2 hour three-act structure, which isn’t to say that it can’t make the transition to television. It’s hard to say if fans would like to see James Bond for seven episodes a year rather than a new movie every couple of years. While it might make sense to change what’s working because if they did then they may attract new fans, longtime Bond movie producer Barbara Broccoli told Total Film that a 007 TV series was a hard no for her. "We make films. We make films for the cinema. That’s what we do," she said before fellow Bond producer Michael G. Wilson added, "We’ve resisted that call for 60 years."
Nothing is confirmed as of yet as to whether there will or will never be a TV series on a streaming platform, so fans should keep an open mind as they wait for a further announcement. As for what the future holds for 007 after Daniel Craig retires from playing James Bond, Broccoli said, "It’s tough to think about the future until this film has its moment… I think we just really want to celebrate this and celebrate Daniel, and then when the dust settles, then look at the landscape and figure out what the future is.” Taking it one step at a time with an open mind is the best way to go, but fans should keep an eye out for the upcoming No Time to Die, which will drop in September in the UK and in October in the US.
In cases like these, it serves both fans/creators if they stick to what got them there. When creators cater to their fan base instead of trying to shift what worked in order to get more fans, they might end up lasting much longer in the long run. However, they may run the risk of franchise fatigue if they drop two spin-off series, a movie, and a mobile game all within the same year.
There’s a risk for the James Bond franchise to become oversaturated if it green lights too many TV series, but at the same, time there’s a chance this can make it stand head & shoulders above the rest. Maybe this is what fans and newcomers alike are missing. If this approach goes successfully, maybe the creators will branch out to other media platforms and fans will get another long-awaited classic James Bond game.
No Time To Die will be in theaters on September 30th in the UK and October 8th, 2021, in North America.
Source: GamesRadar