In a surprising development for the James Bond franchise, Amazon has taken full creative control, prompting long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to step back. This shift has sparked intense speculation about the future direction of the iconic series. According to Variety, despite rumors of a potential Bond TV series, the development of a new Bond film remains the top priority for Amazon. The first step in this new era will be to appoint a producer, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, being eyed as the ideal candidate due to his proven track record of maintaining a cohesive vision across multiple films.

Amidst these changes, Variety also revealed that acclaimed director Christopher Nolan had expressed interest in helming a Bond film following his work on Tenet. However, his proposal was rebuffed by Broccoli, who maintained that no director would have "final cut" under her stewardship. Nolan subsequently directed Oppenheimer, which not only grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide but also secured Best Picture and Best Director Oscars.

Fans are eager to see who will step into the role of 007 next. Speculation abounds with names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson being floated as potential candidates. Notably, Aaron Taylor-Johnson was previously rumored to be at the top of the list. However, the clear fan favorite appears to be Henry Cavill, known for his roles as Superman and in The Witcher.

Variety reports that Amazon cannot move forward with hiring for Bond until the completion of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, which is expected to finalize sometime this year. This follows reports of an "ugly" stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon, which has left the franchise's future "on pause." The conflict stems from Amazon's acquisition of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2021 for $8.45 billion, granting them the rights to release Bond films, while Barbara Broccoli had previously maintained creative control over the series, including the casting of the iconic British spy.

As of now, neither Amazon nor Eon Productions have issued any official comments regarding these developments.