“We are committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character while bringing a fresh, exotic new chapter to audiences around the world alongside Amy [Pascal] and David [Heyman],” execs Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll said Wednesday night. “They’re both in London getting started and couldn’t be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know to make an incredible partnership.”
Ah, London, that most exotic of locales! Posting up in England’s capital is how you know the company is finally getting serious about Bond—’cause you know, that’s where he hangs out. The franchise is reportedly the gem of the Amazon MGM Studios portfolio, despite not really producing anything Bond-related (except one random reality show) since acquiring the IP along with the studio in 2021. Bungling the big guy for years is what drove Amazon to buy out the Broccolis and, allegedly, push out studio head Jennifer Salke. The hiring of franchise whisperers Pascal (Spider-Man) and Heyman (Harry Potter) was admittedly a smart move to get things back on track. In a joint statement at the time of their hiring, the duo said, “James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema. We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson who made so many extraordinary films and honored and excited to keep the spirit of Bond very much alive as he embarks on his next adventure.”
We’ll see what they actually manage to get moving and shaking over in ol’ London Town, but in a move that probably signals Amazon’s confidence in its decision, it also announced this week a new first-look deal with Amy Pascal’s production company, which won’t include her work on Bond. Pascal’s currently ushering in Ryan Gosling starrer Project Hail Mary for the studio, and being fictionalized on The Studio by Catherine O’Hara.
In a statement accompanying her overall deal announcement (via Deadline), Pascal said, “Courtenay Valenti is one of the most talented people I have ever worked with.Her deep knowledge about movies, her love for them and the people who make them is unmatched. She is a wonderful creative partner and a very wise and graceful executive. I count myself lucky to be working with her and her excellent team at Amazon MGM Studios. Rachel and I, and our whole team, are thrilled to be working with Courtenay, Mike Hopkins, and their top-notch group of executives.”
