Some interesting updates. I was listening to the The Rest Is Entertainment podcast and some insight was provided.
- EONS is still a co-owner of the IP. As such they still have some influence, although not actual creative control.
- Nobody knows the terms of the deal, other than the $1B paid.
- Broccoli was 'lost' after No Time To Die and didn't know what to do next with Bond. And she was tired of fighting with Amazon.
- Bond's death came from Craig. After Dench's 'M' death, he wanted a scene like that for himself.
- Craig was Broccoli's 'muse' and her platonic ideal of Bond. They had a very close working relationship and he was able to push that through against her best instincts.
- She considered the Amazon execs to be 'f***ing idiots'. However, there are some Amazon execs who see the IP the same way she does.
- The MGM acquisition was basically to get Bond. In all they paid about $9B ($8B to get MGM which got them the distribution rights, and then another $1B to Broccoli and Wilson to get creative control--although they still don't own the IP outright). This is twice what Disney paid for Lucasfilm. They will want to see a return on that money sooner rather than later, having been forced to wait 4 years already, so expect news about the next film to come relatively soon.