007 Heads to Latest Exotic Local - Fox

Right about now fans across the globe are taking their vodka martinis shaken and stirred. We Are Movie Geeks has received word that the James Bond franchise has a new home set in their sights - 20th Century Fox. Of course, they're already distributing the entire Bond catalog (including the "unofficial" Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again) on home video. Nonetheless, I can imagine my fellow 007-centric pal (and Movie Moan partner-in-crime) Phil is reacting about as lightly as this guy.

This comes after the past week or so of news-items regarding the future of MGM - longtime distributors of the franchise since their acquiring United Artists at the start of the 1980s. Through thick and thin, the studio always had Bond to fall back as a reliable source at the box-office. But times are tough and it appears the once mighty lion could ultimately be put down to sleep. Despite those concerts, it appears the studio will still be able to get The Hobbit going for its planned Spring 2010 shoot along with Warner Brothers. But at quiet a price.

They'll have to fork over what remaining lucrative franchises they have in their pocket and that would be everyone's favorite ice-blooded British secret agent. The Fox purchase also comes as a surprise as Sony (who themselves bought MGM a few years back) distributed Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and were said to have played a helpful hand in revitalizing the character and series. Most folks (including yours truly) assumed they would step up and take the reigns full time because of just that.

Of course, the concerns from fans is understandable. This is the same 20th Century Fox that turned the X-Men franchise into pretty much a joke. Something that was unheard of following the release of Bryan Singer's X2: X-Men United. But to fair, Eon Productions will still be involved (as they retain the rights to the character) and they've already tapped regular screenwriters Robert Wade & Neal Purvis and Peter Morgan to pen Bond 3 yet again starring Daniel Craig.