Christopher Nolan Making A James Bond Movie Is More Likely Now & It's The Best Way To Save The Franchise From My Worst Fears
Creative control of the James Bond franchise has shifted to Amazon MGM Studios, but all of my worst fears for the deal could be assuaged by the studio recruiting Christopher Nolan to helm the next entry in the franchise. James Bond has been an indeniable part of pop culture for over sixty years. There have been over half a dozen films over the years, with different actors and directors showcasing the character's versatility. However, some consistent creative voices remained behind the scenes and guided the franchise.
This is changing, as Amazon has acquired the full creative rights to the James Bond franchise going forward. There's been lots of speculation over what that could mean for the future of the franchise and how the studio intends to revisit the character. One of the most compelling questions about the issue isn't necessarily the casting of the next Bond but the selection of the next director to helm his adventures. The newfound lack of guardrails in the franchise is inherently scary, but giving Christopher Nolan the chance to make his dream Bond movie would make it all worthwhile.
Christopher Nolan Directing James Bond Is More Likely After Amazon's Creative Takeover
Nolan's Big Reservations About Making A James Bond Movie Could Now Be Resolved By Amazon MGM
Nolan has spoken about his desire to join James Bond franchise in the past. Those movies clearly having an influence on his work. Films like Inception and Tenet have visual beats that feel deeply indebted to the style of action featured in previous Bond films, hinting at the director's potential at making an all-time great entry in the series. However, despite expressing some interest in the concept, Nolan has never moved forward with the franchise. In the past, he's mentioned that he'd be excited to join the franchise but would be working "within a particular set of constraints."
Predicting Amazon's James Bond Movies & TV Shows
Now that Amazon has acquired creative control of the James Bond franchise, we’re in for plenty of spin-offs and side projects in the future.
This is because the Bond franchise previously has remained under the guidance of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson. They retained the final say on the direction of any James Bond movie, and have spent decades heavily featured in the behind-the-scenes creative and casting decisions tied to the franchise. The pair have famously bristled with filmmakers who have joined the franchise in the past, with notable directors like Danny Boyle stepping away from James Bond 25 due to creative differences. These are likely the constraints Nolan was referring to.
Even if Broccoli and Wilson's choices often benefited the series, it's a level of control over the project Nolan didn't appear to want to cede. Given his pedigree in the film industry and success as a filmmaker, Nolan has been clear that he prefers creative control on his projects. For a long time, it appeared as even the possibility of having his vision for Bond compromised meant Nolan was more interested in other projects over a Bond film. However, with Amazon and MGM taking full control of the franchise, that potential conflict might not be an issue anymore.
Amazon Could Easily Solve The Other Hurdle To Christopher Nolan Making Bond
The Most Important Way To Get Nolan Onto The Next Bond Is To Make Sure It's Released Theatrically
The other obvious complication for Amazon bringing in Christopher Nolan for a James Bond film is their focus on streaming releases. While the studio still releases some films theatrically, Amazon MGM Studios largely distributes their productions through streamers like Prime Video. This has generated controversy with filmmakers like Doug Liman, who openly protested the decision to not give his Road House remake a theatrical release. Frustrations with Warner Bros. over their decision to pivot to streaming releases during the pandemic lockdowns was even what splintered the long-running partnership between Nolan and that studio.
As reported by Screen Rant, Doug Liman spoke at length about his frustrations with MGM Studios and Amazon releasing Road House only through streaming.
If MGM intends to primarily release their new James Bond content through Prime Video, Nolan would likely be uninterested. However, the global respect and excitement that surrounds a Christopher Nolan film earns the filmmaker some advantages that other directors likely couldn't in negotiations. It's possible that a massive studio like MGM could effectively give Nolan a blank check to make whatever he wants. This could extend to complete creative control on his vision of the franchise, as well as to a commitment to a theatrical release window that suits Nolan's clear preference for that release structure.
In essence, Amazon MGM Studios have paid for the rights to James Bond twice — with this newest deal ensuring they now have complete creative control over the property. If they fail to turn out something profitable and popular with it, then there won't be any tangible returns on a massive investment. If the hope is to reestablish James Bond as a marquee theatrical character in the modern era, they need to bring in someone who can make the best Bond possible. Given his track record and status within the film industry, the best candidate would be Christopher Nolan.
I'm Worried About Amazon & James Bond, But Nolan's 007 Movie Would Be Worth It
Christopher Nolan's James Bond Is Something Film Fans Have Been Dreaming Of For Years
Recent years have highlighted the limits of turning established franchises into pure content for the sake of content. Diminishing returns for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars have been blamed somewhat on the proliferation of the IP through the slew of Disney+ projects that overwhelmed the market. The temptation to create spin-offs and television shows within the James Bond universe has been something combated by the likes of Broccoli, making her exit from the creative decisions of the franchise all the more worrisome. However, those guardrails are now officially gone from the creative decision-making for James Bond.
In a worst-case-scenario, Amazon MGM Studios moves forward with too much James Bond content too quickly instead of reestablishing their own approach to the property. This would be prevent the franchise from reaching its full potential while also damaging the reputation of the franchise in the eyes of long-term fans and newcomers alike. However, if Amazon MGM Studios can nail a big-scale James Bond movie, they may be able to justify specific expansions of the franchise. Christopher Nolan is the ideal approach to the franchise, and could elevate the series to new heights.
Amazon MGM Studios recruiting Nolan for the project would be a huge win for everyone involved.
Nolan's directing talents have never been more assured, especially with him helming his version of The Odyssey. While this would mean waiting longer for the next Bond film, Amazon MGM Studios recruiting Nolan for the project would be a huge win for everyone involved. It could also lead to an all-time great entry in the series, giving Nolan the ultimate sandbox to apply his craft. While I have my reservations about Amazon MGM gaining full control of James Bond, I hope the studio uses their resources to the best of their ability to recruit filmmakers like Christopher Nolan.
- Created by
- Ian Fleming, Albert R. Broccoli
- First Film
- Dr. No
- Genres
- Action
- Latest Film
- No Time to Die
