A massive bidding war for the rights to the James Bond franchise is under way, and amid the usual names, two unexpected ones have reportedly entered the fray.
Tech giants Apple and Amazon have joined the likes of Warner Bros – who are hot favourites to take it over – in putting in bids, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Bond franchise's distribution rights were owned by Sony until 2015, when its deal expired, though the studio is among those trying to secure the property.
It is being reported that Apple and Amazon are willing to spend around the same figure as Warners – if not more – to buy the rights, while Universal and Fox are also in the mix.
MGM is being hard-pressed by Warner Bros to close a deal, suggesting that the tech giants are serious rivals.
Of course, Amazon and Apple have already made moves into the world of movie content, the former recently sorting a deal to self-distribute its first movie, Wonder Wheel by Woody Allen.
Apple is also expected to go in that direction, having already embraced TV streaming with the likes of Carpool Karaoke.
The Bond franchise has a lot of untapped potential for a mega-franchise in the same vein as Star Wars before Lucasfilm was bought by Disney, and THR suggests that Apple's inclusion may herald a larger rights deal that could see TV potential exploited.
Meanwhile, it was finally revealed last month that Daniel Craig will return as 007 for one more outing, following a long period of silence and speculation about his future.
"I just want to go out on a high note, and I can't wait," he said of doing the next movie, which will be released on 8 November, 2019.
