Amazon Fast-Tracks Next James Bond Film with $250 Million Budget

LONDON, United Kingdom — Amazon is accelerating the production of the next James Bond film, also known as Bond 26, with plans to release it by the end of 2027. The project is being fast-tracked following the company’s acquisition of creative rights from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

Under Amazon’s creative control, the next installment in the iconic franchise is earmarked for a significant budget of £250 million, which is roughly similar to the costs associated with Daniel Craig‘s last outing in the 2021 film, No Time To Die.

A source close to the production revealed to The Sun that “work has kicked into action in recent weeks,” with a focus on assembling writers and developing plots. “The writers’ rooms are being assembled in the hope of recouping their investment ASAP,” they added.

The accelerated timeline indicates that the upcoming Bond film will match the record for the longest wait for a new release since Sean Connery debuted as the iconic spy in 1962’s Dr. No. The longest gap since then was between Licence to Kill (1989) and GoldenEye (1995).

Amazon’s investment and the looming potential of Ian Fleming‘s original Bond novels entering the public domain in various countries by 2035 have raised concerns among fans about over-commercialization of the franchise, with potential spin-offs and adaptations on the horizon.

The speculation surrounding the casting of the new Bond has reached a fever pitch, particularly as the search intensifies for an actor to take over from Craig, who portrayed the character for 15 years. Fan-favorite Henry Cavill leads the list of contenders, with other notable names including James Norton, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Richard Madden, Rege-Jean Page, and Tom Hardy frequently mentioned.

“Amazon is aware that fans want and expect a movie,” the source emphasized, rejecting any speculation that the next Bond film would skip theaters in favor of a Prime Video debut. “Amazon is a business and Bond is a heavyweight movie theatre earner. No one is turning their back on that,” they said.

Producer David Heyman and others are reportedly in the mix to helm the reboot, but no official announcements have been made regarding the directorial team or casting decisions. As production ramps up, fans can expect more updates from Amazon in the near future.