Prior to considering the next James Bond casting, Amazon needs to focus on finding suitable producers to take on the iconic spy-fi franchise, given the recent creative exit of Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Amazon is reportedly close to bringing in Amy Pascal and David Heyman to oversee its new ownership of the Bond franchise.

According to Variety, Amazon and MGM Studios are in advanced talks with Pascal and Heyman. Pascal, formerly the head of Sony Pictures, is known for her work on the Spider-Man movies and has a history with the Bond franchise, having been involved in the distribution of several films during the Daniel Craig era. Heyman, who produced the Harry Potter films and their spinoffs, is familiar with the demands of producing a major franchise.

Regardless of whether Amazon ultimately selects Pascal and Heyman, the studio needs to find producers who are willing to lead the Bond franchise in the direction Amazon desires. The past few years have been marked by behind-the-scenes conflicts between the producers and Amazon, which wants to expand the franchise beyond films into TV and other areas.

A recent report by The Hollywood Reporter alleged that comments made by Broccoli about Amazon executives being “fucking idiots” ultimately led to the company’s decision to remove her and Wilson from the franchise. The new producers will need to navigate not only the next chapter of Bond’s story but also the demands of Amazon’s executive branch, which seeks to heavily exploit the series.

The challenge for the next producers will be to manage the franchise while catering to Amazon’s desires for expansion, a task that is reminiscent of the intricate plot twists found in the Bond films themselves.

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