License to Stream: After 25th movie 'No Time to Die', reports suggest the future of James Bond could be digital
There are few movie franchises that can rival 'James Bond' for popularity and cultural significance. The suave English spy and his associates are household names across the world and when 'No Time to Die' hits theaters, it will be the 25th movie in the franchise.
But what's next for 007 after the upcoming film? With Daniel Craig leaving the role after 'No Time to Die', we already know that the franchise will be a very different world after the upcoming film but recent reports suggest there may be even more groundbreaking changes on the way for the world's favorite spy.
CNBC reports that both Netflix and Apple are in talks to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), the mediahouse that co-owns the Bond catalog alongside EON Productions. Though MGM has fallen on hard times in recent years, the company is still valued at over $10 million. MGM's studio is also responsible for several hit shows, including 'The Handmaid’s Tale', which streams on Hulu, and the reality police show 'Live PD', which airs on A&E. The company also owns the premium cable network Epix.
If either of the companies manages to seal the deal, we could be looking at a digital future for Bond. Netflix has invested in a number of high-profile movies in 2019 and is quickly beginning to bridge the gap between streaming and the big screen. Meanwhile, Apple has launched a number of big-name projects on its streaming service AppleTV+ and the MGM deal could help them consolidate the service's position as a major player.
In 2019, movies like 'The Irishman' and '6 Underground' were released both on Netflix and in limited theaters. If the deal goes ahead with either Apple or Netflix, we could expect something similar for future releases of Bond movies though those movies will probably still get a wider release than either 'The Irishman' or '6 Underground'.
Another possibility is that we could see some spinoff shows based on the franchise emerging in the future that would stream exclusively on whichever platform manages to bag the deal. Of course, this is all still speculative and the sale is yet to be finalized or even officially talked about. But if current reports are true, we may be looking at a very different Bond indeed in the years to come.
'No Time to Die' is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 10.