A former James Bond star has raised ‘concerns’ over a $1 billion Amazon deal to purchase the franchise.
Amazon has put in its bid to buy the iconic James Bond franchise but the news has been met with a mixed reaction.
In particular, cast members from the film series have spoken out to share their ‘concerns’ about the deal.
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According to a report by the Guardian, the online retailer forked out a billion dollars to gain ‘creative control’ of the franchise.
And it seems like not everyone is happy with the decision.
Actress Valerie Leon played a ‘Bond girl’ in two 007 flicks - The Spy Who Loved Me and Never Say Never Again.
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Appearing on Good Morning Britain, she said: “The Bond franchise was very British and it won’t be any more, and obviously, if they make films they won’t go into the cinema … everything is so changed now, it just won’t be the same and I’m very old-fashioned anyway.”
In the deal, Amazon will now have free rein to make new Bond films and possible spin-off TV shows.
And Leon isn’t the only cast member who has expressed their opinion on the deal.
Actor Timothy Dalton, who portrayed 007 in two films, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill, spoke to Radio Times where he said that he was ‘shocked’ by the news.
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Dalton said: “I was very, very surprised and shocked. Barbara is I think a fabulous woman and a wonderful producer, as was her father Cubby Broccoli, who I got on with very well and liked a lot. He was a very powerful and strong anchor for the project.
“Nothing went on that he didn’t want and it’s sad that he’s not with us anymore, that’s all I can say. He was well in charge of the show and that’s not so anymore.”
Fans of the spy franchise have taken to social media to give their own reactions to the Amazon deal.
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One user wrote: “I can’t help but picture a sort of Happy Meal mass-reproduced version of James Bond; everyone knows what they’re going to get and it just becomes quite stale quite quickly.
“If we think about the Marvel cinematic universe, you watch those films and then … I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember anything about them the following day and nothing sticks in my memory … I don’t want the flavour of Bond to become something that is too predictable.”
And another added: “I hope they don’t consider a lengthy TV series because I don’t think James Bond should be on TV as a series or as episodes.
“You need to have the experience of sitting in that audience with 100 to 200 people in the cinema. You can’t do a world premiere on a streaming platform and what makes Bond official is that world premiere.”