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(Reuters) -Amazon's MGM Studios will take creative control of the "James Bond" film franchise under a new joint venture with longtime rights holders Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the technology giant said on Thursday.
The move clears uncertainty over one of Hollywood's most popular and longest-running movie series after a December report in the Wall Street Journal said that relations between Broccoli and Amazon had strained, dampening hopes of a new film.
The Bond franchise, whose most recent film "No Time to Die" in 2021 garnered nearly $800 million in global box office collections, will continue to be co-owned by all the parties, Amazon said.
The company bought MGM studios in 2022, including its vast catalog with over 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows, to better compete with streaming rivals including Netflix and Walt Disney. That gave Amazon distribution rights to the Bond series but not creative control.
"I feel it is time to focus on my other projects," said Broccoli. Wilson and Broccoli are half-siblings who have controlled the franchise since 1995.
Thursday's deal will allow Amazon to take on a more hands-on role with the series as fans await the 26th Bond film and the reveal of who will don the iconic tuxedo after Daniel Craig's 2021 exit.
"Happy Valley" actor James Norton, "Divergent" star Theo James and "Kick-Ass" actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson are among those with the highest odds to play the suave spy according to betting website Ladbrokes, although fans have speculated about heavyweights including Idris Elba and Henry Cavill.
Broccoli has hinted the next Bond will be a man in his thirties, ensuring a long run in the role.
Inspired by Ian Fleming's novels, the Bond franchise has spanned over 60 years, grossing more than $7 billion at the global box office, making it one of the most successful ever.
"We ... look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world," Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios said.
(Reporting by Aditya Soni and Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
