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That's completely untrue and you know it! Seriously, why do you keep acting like you are a complete newbie who has no idea what the production schedule of an average Bond film is like? What do you get out of constantly trolling?
Just one of of many many examples that prove that your claim is incorrect: Sam Mendes was announced to direct Bond 24 (which became Spectre) unusually early, on Jul 11, 2013 and they didn't even start writing the script until late 2013 or early 2014. The movie was then released in late 2015.
Heck, if they are aiming to release Bond 26 in late 2026, don't expect any official news about it until the end of this year! If there are still no official Bond 26 news by spring 2025, then you will be able to start claiming that Bond 26 by the end of 2026 is becoming less likely. Right now not only a late 2026, but even a summer 2026 release is entirely possible.
With SP they already had an encumbent bond and you know that. They also had a clear course to take with the SP and Blofeld rights coming back to them, and there was an incentive to capitalise on the success of Skyfall. We're in a completely different scenario now, there's no certainties anymore. I hope you're right and things do start to roll fairly soon, but simply assuming full-on production is beginning in 18 months time despite not hearing a simple word regarding development is a bit of a bizarre stance IMO.
18 months are a lot.
They can make the whole movie with that time.
Vin Diesel just released a set photo for Fast 11, and the movie doesn't come out until 2026. Films are already in production that are releasing that year, cameras are rolling, and Bond 26 isn't even a twinkle in Barbara Broccoli's eye yet.
I would actually solidly say Bond 26 is only a twinkle in BB's eye for now. Just not much else lol. For me, Bond 26 will be the video game.
If Bond 26 will have the same production schedule and announcements schedule as Casino Royale did, and if it will be released in late 2026, then the director will be announced in early 2025 and the Bond actor will be announced in late 2025.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/amazon-mgm-studios-bray-the-rings-of-power-1235945982/
I don't think it will have any bearing when Bond 26 gets made, but Pinewood studios may not be the first choice for production.
It would make sense to film Bond 26 'in house' at Bray Film Studios? I guess so.
Can Bray Studios has the capacity to accommodate a Bond film without expanding? Or could production be split between Bray and Pinewood perhaps?
They still build a lot of sets and do a lot of location shooting though. Even with VFX/CGI/'green screen' it'd still be mixed with those two things (even Misson Impossible uses CGI when Tom Cruise is scaling the Burj Khalifa or hanging off a plane or train or whatever). If anything it's all more integrated nowadays.
EDIT: here we go:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/salp/jamesbond?pd_rd_w=ZJlhf&content-id=amzn1.sym.9a66e820-0eca-400b-8189-2e5d51d1b9cc:amzn1.sym.9a66e820-0eca-400b-8189-2e5d51d1b9cc&pf_rd_p=9a66e820-0eca-400b-8189-2e5d51d1b9cc&pf_rd_r=YXB1M18MB1XDMJV8T4B9&pd_rd_wg=Bbd8M&pd_rd_r=858ee30d-508e-4041-923f-f7e7fa6184ce&qid=1727799634&ref_=sxts_spks_0_0_9a66e820-0eca-400b-8189-2e5d51d1b9cc
I wonder if they've sneakily finished another series of Road To A Million? I could imagine them putting it on there on Bond Day now all this is in place.
https://www.darkhorizons.com/bond-franchise-stalled-by-creative-stalemate/
MGM owns 49% of Bond, but in my opinion from moment MGM be bought by a company i think there should it cell it back to original owners first. If there have bought Disney it does not mean there have something to say about Pixar. Disney bought Fox with animated part of Fox and i think that was a mistake from Fox to include that. I think for example MGM or Sony should have bought that part. In other words are Amazon paying Eon?
And just before Christmas!
This is just a suggestion but if we accept Amazon is primarily a retail company with a smaller tv and film division then there's little incentive to want to produce films for theatrical release? Maybe Amazon's plan for the franchise is to switch to limited theatrical release (or no theatrical release at all) and straight to Amazon Prime. Bond 26 exclusively on Amazon Prime would be a great way to enhance its streaming business and get new punters to join Prime. Amazon is impossibly rich - estimated net worth $2.34 trillion - so it doesn't need Bond 26 or 27 etc in the cinema. Let's assume Bond 26 is 400 million dollars total cost including marketing. Eon insist "Bond 26 must be a worldwide theatrical release" and Jennifer Salke, CEO of Amazon MGM Studios, says "no. That's not what we want. It's in Amazon's best interests to release Bond 26 straight to Amazon Prime."
An impasse.
Another scenario is Amazon file a lawsuit against Eon/Danjaq for unreasonable delay in making Bond 26. This could be potentially disastrous for Eon because if a judge were to deem Eon were acting in an unreasonable way, not in good faith, Eon would be liable to pay Amazon x amount in lost earnings and breach of contract. If Amazon were to win Eon would be legally required to make Bond 26 by a certain date and if Eon can't stand Amazon then Eon could really play dirty and make a offer to Disney or some other studio. Eon sell up to stop Amazon.That doesn't help Bond 26 because you could end up with Amazon and Disney/or whoever battling in the courts over ownership... or they agree to share the cost of production and profit.
If this news is accurate I think Eon should sell up. This is just my opinion but they completely screwed up by killing James Bond 007 in No Time To Die. This was a staggeringly dumb, short term, self-destructive decision and I fear they're in a whole heap of trouble that they engineered. Daniel Craig is equally to blame. Had Barbara Broccoli refused Craig's demand to kill off Bond we wouldn't be in this sorry position. Amazon and Eon may have been on the same page.
As it is the franchise is in limbo and it appears Eon's vision is at odds with Amazon's. The obvious route is, as mentioned above - Amazon file a lawsuit for unreasonable delay but I'm not sure Amazon want to sabotage their relationship with Eon.
This is the new business model. Films doing less well at the cinema but used as a means to get people to watch it on Amazon or wherever. Also, streamers don't share the profits with the cinema chains when the film is video on demand. If Bond 26 had limited or zero theatrical release but it were the biggest ever vod hit on Amazon Prime, Amazon keep the cash. No profit share with the global cinema chains.
Collider:
I think it's a weird business model. The fact is Red One did flop at the box office.
Grosses
Domestic (53.2%)
$93,916,934
International (46.8%)
$82,600,000
Worldwide
$176,516,934
Given the 250 million budget that's a huge flop so if it goes to streaming and is a success that doesn't negate the awful box office. Ideally, you want Red One to do over 500 million and then go to streaming but the cinema chains take around half that gross.
It's all weird but I guess the bottom line is Amazon would probably prefer Bond 26 as limited theatrical release or straight to vod. You bypass the cinema chains and increase viewers/subscribers to your streaming and retail apps.
They need each other.
Amazon are so wealthy and money always talks the loudest in business so unless Amazon are prepared to sell their stake (and why would they?)... I think Eon aren't going to win this battle. I get the impression Barbara Broccoli always gets what she wants but I reckon it's impossible to beat Amazon. Amazon is so rich they could buy every studio in Hollywood and still have mountains of cash! Unless Amazon are so desperate to get Bond 26 made and will completely compromise I think it's game over for Eon's James Bond. Eon will have to compromise because regardless of your view of Amazon - a good or bad company - they hold the purse strings.
Whatever influence/power Eon had over MGM does not apply to Amazon. It's possible Barbara Broccoli has underestimated Amazon. They've far more powerful than the old MGM (prior to its sale).
I’m not sure that the death of Bond in NTTD and the impasse in which EON and Amazon find themselves have any relation. That just doesn’t make sense at all.
We'll see how this ends. As much as many of us want to see one side 'win' in all this, I can imagine the result being far more consolatory in practice (short of something major happening anyway, but it doesn't look like Amazon/MGM are going to give up their half of Bond, and EON aren't going to compromise on what they see as the fundamentals of Bond films. Both parties will have to work out something in practice to make a Bond film, and I suspect both parties would like a Bond film to be made). There are rarely heroes or villains in these situations no matter who we side with (and for the record, I'd personally trust EON more in this situation).
Amazon media chiefs on the other hand are employees, with targets to meet. They may conclude that they only way to get something moving is to give in to EON. Or they may not accept reality, and try to play ‘my business owner is richer than you’ and in five years time find that they are no nearer getting any ‘content’ out there
I wouldn't try to psychoanalyse people none of us know. I'm not sure if I'd say their creativity was waning based on their previous films (insofar as I can only see the finished product). Their recent output/involvement in other projects has also been significant and pretty engaged, at least as a whole company.
It's all in the narrative. Are EON in this situation the steadfast defenders of Bond/cinema in general, or are Amazon the innovators being held back by the old guard? Back a few weeks ago many would have said EON were disinterested and indecisive. Now that idea has been somewhat shattered. I'd say these are two companies (which are always made up of individuals) trying to represent their interests in this product. You might sympathise more with EON, or maybe not.
Personally, I'd hope for an undramatic end to this where both parties can be at least somewhat happy going into a Bond film (insofar as these things are never completely perfect anyway). We'll see.
Yes, the end to this is just that they'll end up working together. It'll take compromise on both sides, but somehow, eventually, they'll get there.