Amazon Studios has discreetly removed new promotional artwork for the James Bond series, following a significant fan backlash after they altered the thumbnails to exclude guns. Thumbnails for films like “Dr. No,” “GoldenEye,” and “A View to a Kill” were substituted with still images from the movies, although Amazon Studios UK still opted for a version without guns.
Social media users weren’t shy about expressing their frustrations, with one sharing, “They Photoshopped all the guns out of the James Bond movie thumbnails.” Another remarked, “If only I had put in that much effort,” referring to the attention to detail in photo editing. Some criticized the changes, claiming it would tarnish the Bond brand as we know it.
In February, Amazon Studios took over creative control of the franchise from the Broccoli Family after first acquiring the distribution rights to Bond films in 2022. There are still many unknowns about the next Bond project, especially with Denis Villeneuve onboard as director.
Robert Davi, who played Franz Sanchez in the 1989 “License to Kill,” expressed excitement about the new creative direction, but also some concerns. He recalled his close relationships with the franchise’s legacy and noted a wariness towards trends that aren’t fully supported by facts.
Meanwhile, speculation around who will take up the iconic role of James Bond continues, with many insisting that the character should remain male. Helen Mirren, a notable figure in the industry, made her stance clear, saying, “James Bond has to be a man,” highlighting that changing that would alter the essence of the character.
