EXCLUSIVE: Barbara Broccoli began making the calls Thursday, London time, to her most frequent and trusted collaborators to tell them news would soon ricochet around the world like a bullet fired from a Walter PPK,

The studio will take the reins for the 60-year-old movie property, while Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will remain co-owners as they move to the sidelines as part of a joint venture transaction.

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have signed creative control over the James Bond franchise to Amazon MGM Studios.

In a new interview, Timothy Dalton, who played the infamous agent in “The Living Daylights” (1987) and “License to Kill” (1989), reacted to the news that Amazon MGM Studios gained creative control over the film franchise after producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson announced they would be taking a step back.

Timothy Dalton, who played James Bond in 1987’s “The Living Daylights” and 1989’s “Licence to Kill,” is weighing in on the blockbuster deal that saw longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli pass complete creative control of the iconic British super spy franchise to Amazon MGM Studios.

One former James Bond has a thing or two to say about the decision by longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to relinquish control of the franchise to Amazon MGM Studios. While promoting his role in season 2 of Paramount+’s 1923,