 So recently, at the BAFTA Awards, journalists managed to get a quote from Barbara Broccoli. When asked about Barn 26, and she stated, no, we haven't even started casting yet. There isn't even a script. Now, this is another one of those, the only news we have is there is no news situations. She was quoted saying something very similar seven months ago, and I did a video on that back then, which, if you were to re-watch it today, would still be just as relevant now as it was then, because nothing really has changed apart from the fact that we can now put the Aaron Taylor Johnson casting rumors to bed. But the big question to me is, why haven't they started yet? Is there really any good reason for this? I feel like I'm going to be repeating a lot of the stuff from that video I just mentioned, but it really seems Eon have lost their sense of urgency towards this franchise. Going back to the 60s where Cubby and Harry had the first four Bond movies to be released every single year. Obviously, that would be a bit too ambitious these days, and that's understandable. But since then, we pretty much had a Bond film come out every two years, with a couple of exceptions, and each of those exceptions had pretty good reasons behind them. A Bond film every two years was the norm for a very long time, pretty much up until 2008's Quantum of Solace. That was the last instance that ever happened. Since then, there were always large gaps between Bond films. Heck, the gap between Spectre and No Time to Die almost rivaled the largest gap in the franchise. Sure, Covid came, but even before Covid, it was finished filming in 2019. So even if the pandemic didn't delay the release of the film, it would have still been another four year gap between those films. If we take a look at the record holding largest gap between Bond films. That was between License to Kill and GoldenEye. Lawsuits held up the production at the time, and it was truly out of the hands of the producers. Even during those dark ages of Bond. The producers made no excuses and penned up a script for a third timid adult in Bond film, and even had a screenplay ready for a Ford film. All just in case. When Roger wasn't sure he was going to return for Octopussy, the producers didn't stop. A Bond film had to come out every two years. That was the norm. They just started looking for other guys. The show had to go on. Compare that past Eon attitude, hungry for Bond films, to the attitude of Barbara and Michael G. Wilson today. Oh, you know, we haven't started casting yet. There isn't even a script. We have just finished No Time to Die. We're taking a bit of a breather here before we really get into things. You know, No Time to Die was already released in 2021, already two years ago. And if you don't take the pandemic into account, it was already finished two years before that, in 2019. So they've had a good four years wasted already, and they're still going, oh yeah, you know, we don't know the direction yet. We haven't got a script. And it's kind of hard to say goodbye to Daniel Craig. I mean, he really was our Bond. And we're still only coming off of No Time to Die and everything. We gotta take it easy. You're taking four years to take it easy. What would Coby have said about this attitude? Could he see this? Obviously, I don't have inside information. I don't know what's occupying Barbara and Michael. Maybe they're really busy with something. But from the outside, compared to their attitude in the past, they just seem unmotivated and uninspired to give the 007 franchise top priority. Not just compared to themselves in the past, but also looking at their rival production, Mission Impossible, which already have number seven coming out this summer, and working hard on the next one, number eight. Disney pumping out all those Star Wars movies. Heck, the Lord of the Rings even returning to pump out more movies. And let's not even start about Marvel, who pumped out more movies since 2007 than Bond did since 1962. It's no competition, but come on. It is your job after all, right? So all of this raises the question that I titled the video after. Should Eon pass on the 007 rights? If you asked me this 10 years ago, I would have definitely said no. This is a family production. The 007 rights have always been in the hands of the broccoli family since its inception. But looking at their seemingly unmotivated attitude these past couple of years, I think differently. I'm sure there are producers out there more motivated to produce these films back to the standard two-year cycle. I mean the gap between Skyfall and Spectre was another three years, then between Spectre and No Time to Die, six years. Now we're already in another large gap. Bond 26 probably wouldn't even be released at this rate until at least 2026. By the time we get to Bond 27, I probably already have grown up kids. It's crazy. So is it time? Should Eon just call it quits after 25 Bond films and pass the rights on to other ambitious producers? I mean as much as this is a franchise, it's also a business. Obviously this also has some risks that come with it, as you have to be careful what kind of people you sell these rights to. They obviously need to be passionate about the franchise and truly get it. Or maybe if it's too risky to sell it to other producers, they can keep it in the family. Should Michael G Wilson's son, Greg Wilson, take over? I mean Michael is certainly getting on a bit, there's that. Barbara certainly doesn't seem to be in a hurry producing these films. I know very little about his son though. Would he do any better? I know I sound nothing but negative in this video, but it comes from a place of love for this franchise. The weights have become so much more exhausting this past decade. As much as I'm sentimental towards Barbara and Michael, maybe it's just time. As a matter of fact, they've been added longer now than Cubby was. I mean he produced 16 Bond films in 26 years. Dark to know all the way up to License to Kill. Barbara and Michael have produced 9 in 28 years. 9! That's 7 Bond films less in more time! Have you ever considered that? So what do you guys think? Should they pass on the 007 rights or simply clean up their act? Please discuss your thoughts on this in the comment section below. I would love to see more opinions on this. Make sure to subscribe and click the little bell icon for notifications on my latest videos. And consider taking a look at my Patreon page if you are a fan of my usual content. See you guys in the next video.