A while back I noted that the only thing keeping Amazon from turning James Bond into woke slop after it brought MGM was the control that the Broccoli family had over the film rights.

In a report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), longtime Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and Amazon — which bought MGM studios in 2021 — are in an “ugly stalemate” over decisions about the future of the franchise. These include decisions on whether Bond should be turned into a streaming series, or more philosophical ones, like whether the titular character is even a hero.

“I have to be honest, I don’t think James Bond is a hero,” one Amazon executive said during a recent meeting about upcoming Bond content, the outlet reported.

Some say a person of color in Bond’s tuxedo would better reflect the U.K.’s changing demography, and even nod to its ugly history of colonization. Take it a step further, others say, and cast a woman or a gay man.

Broccoli has told friends that she doesn’t have any qualms with casting a nonwhite or gay actor, but does believe Bond should always be played by a man, and should always be played by a Brit.

Before the purchase closed, Amazon executives brainstormed among themselves how Bond could be plugged into their machine. Would Amazon produce a James Bond TV show for its Prime Video service? What about a Moneypenny spinoff? Or a TV spinoff centered on a female 007?

Broccoli’s response to such enthusiasm, one friend said, is often the same: Did you read the contract?

Whether or not they did, Amazon can afford a whole lot more lawyers. Or threats. Or just infinite amounts of money to cut a deal.

The James Bond movie franchise has gotten a shake-up, with Amazon MGM Studios and Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli forming a new joint venture to house the movie property’s intellectual property rights. Under the terms of the agreement, Amazon MGM Studios will gain creative control of the James Bond franchise, while Wilson and Broccoli will remain co-owners of the 60-year-old property.

Wilson added he was stepping back from producing James Bond movies to focus on art and charitable projects. “Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future,” Wilson said in his own statement.

News of the joint venture comes amid continuing speculation about Bond 26, the next iteration of the 007 franchise, after Daniel Craig hung up the tuxedo for good in 2021’s No Time to Die. Barbara Broccoli echoed that it was time for her to step aside and allow Amazon MGM Studios to take over the creative reins.

This is the opposite of what she was saying recently, but it doesn’t especially matter.

What does matter is that James Bond is dead. A preview of his fate can be found in every creative property Amazon Studios has gotten its hands on. Expect the black lesbian Bond to arrive shortly.

Jeff Bezos and Amazon turned out to be the one supervillain and megacorporation 007 couldn’t beat.