Barbara Broccoli, boss of Eon Productions
While there's no news about Bond 26, there are signs that Barbara Broccoli is looking to do more non-Bond projects.
The James Bond Dossier in a YouTube video and MI6 HQ, in a story on its website, referenced indications that the head of Eon Productions may have other irons in the fire. Among them is a possible movie version of Othello, based on a play starring Daniel Craig that Broccoli produced in the 2010s. (Disclosure: I've been on MI6 HQ's James Bond & Friends podcast and have contributed to some of MI6 HQ's publications.)
Barbara Broccoli is the daughter of Eon co-founder Albert R. Broccoli. The elder Broccoli, following 1968's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, concentrated on Bond until the end of his career.
The younger Broccoli at times seems more Saltzman, who had other non-007 projects during the peak of Bond film fandom: Three Harry Palmer movies starring Michael Caine and The Battle for Britain, a 1969 all-star historical epic. Saltzman's non-Bond films were a source of tension between him and Albert R. Broccoli.
Barbara Broccoli's non-007 projects are smaller scale than Bond epics. Among them (all figures via Box Office Mojo):
--Radiator (2014): $50,447 global box office.
--The Silent Storm (2014), $5,260 global box office.
--Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017), $4 million global box office.
--Nancy (2018): $92,000 global box office
--The Rhythm Section (2020): $6 million global box office.
Eon's other co-boss, Michael G. Wilson, was also attached to these movies. Broccoli has been involved with other projects outside the Eon umbrella (and Wilson's involvement).
In recent years, the narrative has emerged that Barbara Broccoli, rather than Wilson, is in charge. Wilson is 82 while Broccoli is 64.
Sam Mendes, director of Skyfall and SPECTRE, has fed the idea that Barbara Broccoli is No. 1 at Eon. In a 2016 article in The Telegraph, Mendes said: "Barbara Broccoli chooses who's going to be the next Bond: end of story," If anyone should know, it would be a two-time Bond movie director.
Regardless, many Bond film fans are frustrated. The gaps between Bond movies generally are getting longer. Previously, there have been external factors such as a legal fight between Eon and MGM in the 1990s and MGM going into bankruptcy in 2010.
For now, the current delay seems different. MGM was bought by Amazon in 2021. MGM's financial issues appear to be a thing of the past. Still, there may be tensions between Eon and the now Amazon-owned MGM.
As Bette Davis once said, "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night."
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