Editing Eon Productions (section)

==''James Bond'' films{{anchor|Bond films}}==
{{main|Production of the James Bond films{{!}}Production of the ''James Bond'' films}}
Eon was started by film producers [[Albert R. Broccoli|Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli]] and [[Harry Saltzman]] in July 1961, at the same time they became partners and sought financing for ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]''. The year before they formed [[Danjaq]], which for legal reasons became Eon's holding company, from which it licenses the rights to produce the ''Bond'' films.

Broccoli had been interested in the ''Bond'' novel rights for several years but was dissuaded from pursuing the project by his former partner. When they dissolved their relationship he was free to pursue the property, for which Saltzman, a novice to film production, had taken a gamble to acquire. The two were introduced by a [[New York City|New York]] writer who was acquainted with both, and formed a partnership within a week of meeting. The enterprise was and is still a family business, including both wives of the principal partners, as well as several of their progeny, the latter group now carrying on their parents' work. Albert almost immediately included [[Dana Broccoli]]'s college-aged son [[Michael G. Wilson]] in the early films, doing various production jobs.

In 1975, after nine films, Harry Saltzman sold his shares of Danjaq to [[United Artists]] (UA). Although Albert R. Broccoli died in 1996, Eon Productions is still owned by the Broccoli family, specifically Albert R. Broccoli's daughter, [[Barbara Broccoli]], and his stepson and her half-brother by actress Dana Wilson Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, who are the current producers of the films.

In February 2025, [[Amazon MGM Studios]] and Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced the formation of a joint venture that would manage the franchise rights to James Bond, giving Amazon MGM full creative control from the Broccoli family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/james-bond-amazon-mgm-studios-takes-control-1236295821/|title=James Bond Shocker! Amazon MGM Studios Takes Creative Control Of Spy Franchise As Producers Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli Step Back|first=Justin|last=Kroll|first2=Mike|last2=Fleming Jr.|first3=Jake|last3=Kartner|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=2025-02-20}}</ref>

Albert R. Broccoli's name has appeared in the opening "presents" credit of every Eon-produced ''James Bond'' film, and as the first name in the credits from ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' onwards. From ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]'' through ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'', the credit was "Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli present"; for some films Broccoli came first. After Saltzman left, the opening credit was "Albert R. Broccoli presents" through to ''[[GoldenEye]]'', which was the last film produced before Broccoli's death, even after Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson replaced him as producers. On all films since Broccoli's death, the opening credit is "Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions presents", with "Ltd." usually added after "Productions" in the film proper.<ref name="DVD">DVD and Blu-ray copies of Eon's Bond films.</ref>

The 1965 film ''[[Thunderball (film)|Thunderball]]'' differs from the others in how it credits Saltzman and Broccoli; due to a legal agreement with [[Kevin McClory]] related to the rights to Ian Fleming's original novel, McClory received producer credit on the film, with Saltzman and Broccoli credited as executive producers. This agreement also gave McClory the rights to remake ''Thunderball'' in the future, resulting in the 1983 non-Eon production, ''[[Never Say Never Again]]''. McClory would attempt to remake the story a second time in the 1990s, but was prevented from doing so. In 1999, Eon picked up the rights to the ''[[Casino Royale (novel)|Casino Royale]]'' novel after a lawsuit between [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) and [[Sony Pictures]] ended as part of a trade deal that saw Sony acquiring MGM's interest in the ''[[Spider-Man in film|Spider-Man]]'' film rights.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=September 14, 2004|title=Past 007 Attempts|url=http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/sony_past_007_attempts.php3?s=articles&t|url-status=usurped|archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091010074357/http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/sony_past_007_attempts.php3?s=articles&t|archive-date=October 10, 2009|access-date=November 7, 2007|publisher=MI6, Home of James Bond}}</ref>

The copyrights and trademarks for the film properties which began with ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]'', are held by Danjaq and United Artists Corporation; United Artists was bought by MGM in 1981, but as an MGM subsidiary its name still appears in Bond copyright and trademark disclaimers. ''[[Casino Royale (2006 film)|Casino Royale]]'' (2006), ''[[Quantum of Solace]]'' (2008), ''[[Skyfall]]'' (2012) and ''[[Spectre (2015 film)|Spectre]]'' (2015) were co-distributed with [[Sony Pictures Releasing]] through its [[Columbia Pictures]] label.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fritz|first=Ben|title=Sony and MGM finalize James Bond, co-financing partnership|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/04/sony-and-mgm-finalize-bond-co-financing-partnership.html|access-date=21 December 2012|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=13 April 2011}}</ref> With the revival of United Artists&nbsp;– formed as a joint venture between MGM and [[Annapurna Pictures]] under the label [[United Artists Releasing]]&nbsp;– as well as the expiration of Columbia Pictures' deal with the Bond franchise, the distribution of ''[[No Time to Die]]'' (2021) is shared between United Artists Releasing (domestically) and [[Universal Pictures]] (internationally), while Danjaq retains the essential rights to the film.

The distribution rights for all of Eon's films are owned by [[MGM Home Entertainment]], and were controlled by MGM's distributor [[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment]] (previously [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]]).<ref name="DVD"/><ref>[https://deadline.com/2011/04/mgm-re-ups-dvd-deal-with-fox-through-2016-122936/ MGM Re-Ups DVD Deal With Fox Through 2016], deadline.com</ref> [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]] initially assumed the home video rights to ''Casino Royale'', but the 2012 home video editions of this film were issued by MGM and 20th Century Fox.<ref name="DVD"/> Since 2020, WBHE took over the home entertainment distribution rights to the Bond films after MGM ended their home media agreement with Fox in June 2020, excluding the home media release of ''No Time to Die'' (which is handled by [[Universal Pictures Home Entertainment]], although both companies own a joint venture called Studio Distribution Services).<ref>{{cite news|work=HD Repor|url=https://hd-report.com/2020/01/23/james-bond-films-starring-daniel-craig-to-release-as-single-4k-blu-rays/|title=James Bond films starring Daniel Craig to release as single 4k Blu-rays|date=23 January 2020|access-date=31 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=James Bond 25 Sets Distribution: Universal Wins International, MGM Releases Domestic Through Annapurna Joint Venture|url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/james-bond-25-universal-pictures-international-mgm-annapurna-daniel-craig-danny-boyle-john-hodge-1202397905/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=24 May 2018|access-date=2 December 2019}}</ref>