TONIGHT on THE INSNEIDER: Is Amazon about to entrust HARRY POTTER producer David Heyman with the JAMES BOND franchise? Plus, my review of BLACK BAG, and which Netflix project would LOVE to land Mikey Madison? Hint: It's NOT Greta Gerwig's NARNIA...https://t.co/cvGutjN0jH pic.twitter.com/aUaAvJFTKU

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) March 7, 2025

If you're unwilling to wait a year-plus for Christopher Nolan, and you don't really want to give him the full creative control you just spent a billion dollars to get, do you maybe turn to one of the SIX active filmmakers with TWO Oscars for Best Director?https://t.co/cvGutjN0jH

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) March 7, 2025

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Hot Rumor: Is David Heyman Getting the James Bond Franchise... and Could Alfonso Cuarn Be Joining Him?

This morning, a very good source - one with ties to Amazon MGM Studios - sent me a four-word text: "Hearing Heyman getting Bond."

Indeed, it would be no surprise if Amazon were to hire David Heyman, the producer of the Harry Potter franchise and so much more, to steer the next generation of the James Bond franchise, for which Amazon has effectively spent billions already.

Heyman was the first producer mentioned when I polled the town as to what Amazon's first steps should be now that it has full creative control of the Bond franchise, but one source thought he simply made too much money, and that his producing fee would be cost-prohibitive for Amazon.

While that source may very well be correct, it's just as possible, if not more likely, that given how pot-committed Jeff Bezos already is here, he's willing to spare no expense in bringing a super-producer like Heyman aboard.

What this rumor says to me is that Amazon wasn't willing to wait another year for Christopher Nolan to finish The Odyssey. As amazing as it would be for Nolan to direct Bond, Amazon just spent nearly a billion dollars to move producers Barbara Broccoliand Albert G. Wilson to the backseat of the Bondmobile, and I don't see them doing that just to let Nolan (a "final cut" director") call all the shots.

In addition to the Harry Potter franchise, Heyman is known for producing Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which introduced millions of people around the world to current stars such as Austin Butler, Margaret Qualley, Sydney Sweeney, Maya Hawke, Julia Butters, and newly-crowned Oscar winner Mikey Madison.

He has relationships with all of those young stars, which could always benefit the Bond franchise in the long run.

But when you enter Heyman's name on IMDb Pro, it's not Harry Potter or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood under his name.

No, the movie under Heyman's name is Gravity, from Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarn. Cuarn is one of just six active filmmakers who has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice - for Gravity and Roma - while Nolan has only won it once for Oppenheimer. Cuarn has also won Oscars for cinematography and editing.

My source believes that if Heyman does, officially, come aboard to produce the Bond universe - his company is comprised of Heyday Films and Heyday Television - then Cuarn could be his first stop as far as a director is concerned.

Cuarn also directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which many consider to be the standout of the franchise, and he also directed the sci-fi masterpiece Children of Men movies as well as the acclaimed Spanish-language drama Y tu mama tambien.

While one source countered that Heyman may be too busy with the Harry Potter series, I'm not sure that disqualifies him from contention. He has always been more of a film producer, and if a Bond movie is, in fact, what Amazon wants first - ahead of a series, which would've been my cynical guess - then there are few producers in a better position to pull it off than Heyman.

Plus, Heyman has already done the Harry Potter franchise, and I'm not sure what he gets out of rebooting his baby as an HBO series - beyond millions and millions of dollars, of course. Seriously, Heyman could end up being the richest producer in Hollywood when all is said and done, even if he is based out of the UK.

This year, Heyman is expected to have two movies in awards contention - Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, and Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams.

The only other Heyday movie that I'm 100 percent confident will get made in the near future is Wonka 2, and it'll be interesting to see - if Heyman boards Bond - if his deal includes a carve-out for that Warner Bros. sequel starring Timothee Chalamet… who might make for a good Bond villain one day, by the way.

The Harry Potter series is expected to begin shooting this summer, with a casting announcement expected by the end of April.

I think that if Heymam comes aboard sooner rather than later, he could hire a writer by Memorial Day, and that writer would spend their summer and fall delivering a 007 script that would be ready to shoot at some point next year for release in 2027.

That is what I personally believe to be Amazon's desired timeline here.

Is Heyman - David Heyman - up to the challenge? We'll see, Ms. Moneypenny. Stay tuned...

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Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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This pleases me

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Mir gefaellt es auch.

This sounds like a much more realistic plan than Nolan, IMHO.

And no reason he couldn't still direct a film (assuming he's on board with the general plan).

Cuaron would be a great choice though, he's made some beautiful films.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/amazon-007-takeover-impact-future-james-bond-1236155844/

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Still, Amazon had ideas. Sources close to the franchise say the streamer approached the Broccolis with pitches for a TV series based on Moneypenny, the MI6 secretary who's been batting eyes at Bond since Sean Connery's days, as well as a show about Bond CIA buddy Felix Leiter, and maybe even something involving a female 007. Predictably, Broccoli and Wilson weren't interested. There was hope early on at Amazon that former Warner Bros. exec Courtenay Valenti the daughter of late MPAA boss Jack Valenti, who had come aboard MGM about a year after Amazon bought it, and whom Broccoli was said to have liked might have some luck loosening up the Bond IP. But not even "the Barbara whisperer," as Valenti was reportedly called inside Amazon, could sway Cubby's kids. Relations grew even frostier after a meeting in which Salke reportedly mortified Broccoli by calling Bond "content." Wilson, meanwhile, was said to be complaining about how he'd been unable to set up meetings with Amazon's top brass.

...

In any case, it all came to a head in December, a month after Broccoli and Wilson picked up the Thalberg at the Governors Awards. That's when The Wall Street Journal published a piece detailing the chilly state of affairs between Amazon and the Broccolis in which Barbara is quoted as telling friends that Amazon executives were "****ing idiots." Not surprisingly, those choice words did not go over well with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. "He read her quote in the Journal and got on the phone and said, 'I don't care what it costs, get rid of her,' " is how one insider describes what happened, confirming that what Bezos ended up paying for the franchise was close to a billion dollars.

For that kind of money, Broccoli and Wilson must have decided, other people can screw it up all they want.

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Bunk Moreland said:

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https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/amazon-007-takeover-impact-future-james-bond-1236155844/

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Still, Amazon had ideas. Sources close to the franchise say the streamer approached the Broccolis with pitches for a TV series based on Moneypenny, the MI6 secretary who's been batting eyes at Bond since Sean Connery's days, as well as a show about Bond CIA buddy Felix Leiter, and maybe even something involving a female 007. Predictably, Broccoli and Wilson weren't interested. There was hope early on at Amazon that former Warner Bros. exec Courtenay Valenti the daughter of late MPAA boss Jack Valenti, who had come aboard MGM about a year after Amazon bought it, and whom Broccoli was said to have liked might have some luck loosening up the Bond IP. But not even "the Barbara whisperer," as Valenti was reportedly called inside Amazon, could sway Cubby's kids. Relations grew even frostier after a meeting in which Salke reportedly mortified Broccoli by calling Bond "content." Wilson, meanwhile, was said to be complaining about how he'd been unable to set up meetings with Amazon's top brass.

...

In any case, it all came to a head in December, a month after Broccoli and Wilson picked up the Thalberg at the Governors Awards. That's when The Wall Street Journal published a piece detailing the chilly state of affairs between Amazon and the Broccolis in which Barbara is quoted as telling friends that Amazon executives were "***king idiots." Not surprisingly, those choice words did not go over well with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. "He read her quote in the Journal and got on the phone and said, 'I don't care what it costs, get rid of her,' " is how one insider describes what happened, confirming that what Bezos ended up paying for the franchise was close to a billion dollars.

For that kind of money, Broccoli and Wilson must have decided, other people can screw it up all they want.

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Well, I think she hit the nail on the head with her assessment.

an underrated aspect of this whole deal is that in ten years Bond is gonna go public domain anyway, something that i’m sure Broccoli had in mind when the sale went through. Amazon won’t own shit in a decade if anybody can do a Bond then https://t.co/ppKYq8WvMg

— infinite coffee (@eventualforever) March 7, 2025

Ah, good to know. Thanks for the clarification.

What is does mean is that James Bond with be a playable character in the next iteration of Marvel Rivals, Super Smash Bros, or whatever else is popular at the time.

Then again, considering the Broccoli's were out of ideas, it was probably time for them to give up stewardship regardless.

TCTTS said:

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Then again, considering the Broccoli's were out of ideas, it was probably time for them to give up stewardship regardless.

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Maybe they were out of ideas... maybe they were just stonewalling Amazon to get paid when Michael was ready to retire anyway.

I don't they ever had ideas, they were just the gatekeeper. They didn't like Amazon, so they stonewalled everything including Chris Nolan until they got paid a billion to give it up.

He might be too old now but I would watch the hell out of a Jeffrey Wright Felix Leiter series.

Eh, he died in No Time To Die

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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Eh, he died in No Time To Die

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so did Bond

I mean yeah but these things are always backstories anyway…

From Matt Belloni's newsletter tonight...

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Amazon picks its Bond producers: Good luck to David Heyman and Amy Pascal, who are in talks to shepherd the next iteration of James Bond. The veteran producers have been among the names rumored in the British press in the weeks since Amazon shocked the town by acquiring full control of the Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, but now I'm told reps for Heyman and Pascal are negotiating their deals. Amazon declined to comment, and nothing can be official until the Broccoli transaction closes, which is still a ways off. But they're the choice of Amazon execs Mike Hopkins, Jen Salke, and Courtenay Valenti, and barring some impasse, the announcement will happen.

This duo checks a lot of boxes. Heyman is British, for one, and he's handled big film franchises like Harry Potter, Barbie, and Wonka. Pascal also produced Barbie, but more importantly, she worked on Casino Royale, Skyfall, and Quantum of Solace when she ran Sony Pictures, which distributed several Bond pics. The plan is to make a new movie for theatrical release before any spinoffs or TV extensions, so their first task will be to settle on writers and/or a filmmaker before picking a new Bond. And just because Heyman and Pascal are lead producers, that wouldn't prevent them from bringing on, say, Chris Nolan and his wife/partner Emma Thomas to produce, too… if Nolan was interested in directing.

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The next James Bond director is … 👀

In the latest episode of 'The Town', Hollywood insider @MattBelloni reveals who he believes is in line to direct the next Bond film.

Full episode here: https://t.co/HoWkPLseIj pic.twitter.com/XkOq8HK6fs

— The Ringer (@ringer) March 22, 2025

How much sht is Belloni just throwing against the wall these days?

He's talking Nolan and Cuaron in the same day?

In his defense, the Nolan mention was in last night's newsletter and was included purely as a hypothetical. While what he's saying in the clip above is from today (meaning he could have gotten additional info between yesterday and today), and is his actual prediction based on info he's actually hearing. He even goes so far as to say that Cuaron apparently has a take.

Either way, Belloni isn't one to bull**** and is usually spot on when it comes to news/scoops. This one, in particular, feels like his performative, wink-wink way of hinting that it's happening, before being able to confirm 100%, but who knows.

TCTTS said:

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From Matt Belloni's newsletter tonight...

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Amazon picks its Bond producers: Good luck to David Heyman and Amy Pascal, who are in talks to shepherd the next iteration of James Bond. The veteran producers have been among the names rumored in the British press in the weeks since Amazon shocked the town by acquiring full control of the Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, but now I'm told reps for Heyman and Pascal are negotiating their deals. Amazon declined to comment, and nothing can be official until the Broccoli transaction closes, which is still a ways off. But they're the choice of Amazon execs Mike Hopkins, Jen Salke, and Courtenay Valenti, and barring some impasse, the announcement will happen.

This duo checks a lot of boxes. Heyman is British, for one, and he's handled big film franchises like Harry Potter, Barbie, and Wonka. Pascal also produced Barbie, but more importantly, she worked on Casino Royale, Skyfall, and Quantum of Solace when she ran Sony Pictures, which distributed several Bond pics. The plan is to make a new movie for theatrical release before any spinoffs or TV extensions, so their first task will be to settle on writers and/or a filmmaker before picking a new Bond. And just because Heyman and Pascal are lead producers, that wouldn't prevent them from bringing on, say, Chris Nolan and his wife/partner Emma Thomas to produce, too… if Nolan was interested in directing.

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So Pascal has worked on all the Craig Bonds. Heyman has a a long resume with the Potter films, Gravity, Barbie, etc. And the door isn't shut on Nolan.

What is a better choice? Why wouldn't Broccoli go with that plan?

Broccoli *was* the producer.

Thus, she would have never hired two additional producers to produce alongside her.

Think of it this way...

Broccoli was an independent producer with total creative control over the Bond franchise. In that capacity...

... she produced Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall for MGM and Sony Pictures when Amy Pascal ran Sony.

... she produced Spectre for MGM and Sony Pictures after Amy Pascal left Sony Pictures.

... she produced No Time to Die for MGM and United Artists Releasing, after the Bond rights expired at Sony.

Since then, Amazon purchased MGM and thus acquired the Bond rights. They then eventually paid Broccoli an exorbitant amount of money to give up creative control and essentially no longer produce the Bond movies (though she's still attached in name only).

So, with Broccoli out of the picture, Amazon needed a producer or two to take her place.

That's where Heyman and Pascal now come in. One Brit and one American, the former having overseen the release of the first three Craig Bond movies.

Make sense?

Right, but Michael retired and she didn't want to go alone. She didn't want Hayman to join her? She didn't want Pascal to join her?

What was really her hang up?

I think it was she wanted the payout because she hated Amazon and didn't want to do anything with them. That was ultimately more important to her than making another film series.

Yes, that's all true, but Broccoli is also getting up there in age, didn't want to "start over" with a new producing partner, and was reportedly out of ideas for where to take the franchise from here. In other words, it was a number of factors that led her to finally just saying screw it and taking the massive buyout.

I still think that was always her plan. She detested Amazon so much that she refused to play ball on anything, no matter how good.

Wouldn't surprise me.

I still like the idea of rebooting Bond in the 60s. I highly doubt Amazon does this.

TCTTS said:

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From Matt Belloni's newsletter tonight...

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Amazon picks its Bond producers: Good luck to David Heyman and Amy Pascal, who are in talks to shepherd the next iteration of James Bond. The veteran producers have been among the names rumored in the British press in the weeks since Amazon shocked the town by acquiring full control of the Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, but now I'm told reps for Heyman and Pascal are negotiating their deals. Amazon declined to comment, and nothing can be official until the Broccoli transaction closes, which is still a ways off. But they're the choice of Amazon execs Mike Hopkins, Jen Salke, and Courtenay Valenti, and barring some impasse, the announcement will happen.

This duo checks a lot of boxes. Heyman is British, for one, and he's handled big film franchises like Harry Potter, Barbie, and Wonka. Pascal also produced Barbie, but more importantly, she worked on Casino Royale, Skyfall, and Quantum of Solace when she ran Sony Pictures, which distributed several Bond pics. The plan is to make a new movie for theatrical release before any spinoffs or TV extensions, so their first task will be to settle on writers and/or a filmmaker before picking a new Bond. And just because Heyman and Pascal are lead producers, that wouldn't prevent them from bringing on, say, Chris Nolan and his wife/partner Emma Thomas to produce, too… if Nolan was interested in directing.

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Today it is official

Amazon MGM Studios have announced that Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the upcoming James Bond film.

“James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema,” said Amy Pascal and David Heyman.

“We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara… pic.twitter.com/nWJslEXasS

— James Bond (@007) March 25, 2025

#JamesBond has found its producers in Amy Pascal and David Heyman. The duo have been tapped by Amazon MGM to steer the new Bond film, the first to be produced by someone other than the Broccoli family https://t.co/7L9ETskqrJ pic.twitter.com/4JBDVSQ8lI

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 25, 2025

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The plan is to make a new movie for theatrical release before any spinoffs or TV extensions

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Are y'all ready for some Bond overexposure, ala Marvel & Star Wars?

The new producers look solid..... but I have no confidence if they have to push out a new TV show every year and several spinoffs it won't all go to crap.

Is there an example of it not going to crap in such a situation?

I guess the rumors are true #JamesBond fans! During a masterclass in Paris, Alfonso Cuarón teased his discussions with Amazon/MGM about directing Bond 26.

Kind of an inspired pick and the exact kind of shot in the arm the franchise needs to kick off the next era! 🍸Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/WIImQbM8cV

— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) April 5, 2025

Christopher Nolan will not direct the next James Bond movie.

Alfonso Cuarón just implicitly confirmed during a masterclass in Paris that he is in talks to direct the film. pic.twitter.com/6dbVio4Zo4

— Christopher Nolan Art & Updates (@NolanAnalyst) April 5, 2025

So I wonder if Bond will steal your girl y tu mama tambien

Pierre killed it in Rebel Ridge last year, which then earned him co-lead of DC's/HBO's Lanterns series set to come out next year. Dude is blowing up and could actually be an inspired choice for Bond...

Aaron Pierre is being considered to become the next James Bond.

(via @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/9nZv6WwQ1I

— Oscar Race (@TheOscarRace) June 17, 2025