Bond in Controversy: How Streamer's Woke Warnings Stir Up Fandom
Bond... James Bond? Not So Much, Says Amazon
In a move that's left fans of the iconic spy franchise fuming, streaming giant Prime Video has added a slew of "woke" trigger warnings to the James Bond films on its platform. It seems that in an effort to appease the PC police, Amazon is attempting to sanitize the 007 series, stripping it of its grit and glamour.
The first-ever Bond film, Dr. No (1962), starring the incomparable Sean Connery, carries a warning for "violence, alcohol use, smoking, and foul language." But don't worry, folks, it's not all bad news! The warning only seems to apply to films featuring actors other than the one and only Sean Connery.
The 1967 film You Only Live Twice, which features Connery in a scene where he changes his skin color and eye shape to mimic a Japanese man, has conveniently avoided any warning of racial insensitivity. We're not sure what's more surprising - the fact that Amazon thought this was a good idea or that they managed to avoid getting called out on it.
The news comes after Amazon acquired MGM Studios in 2022, securing the rights to show the Bond films. And if you thought things couldn't get any worse, Amazon also deleted digitally-altered James Bond posters that removed the spy's gun. Yes, you read that right - they took away Bond's most iconic accessory!
The altered posters, which were designed to promote the films, featured Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig without their trusty Walther PPKs. But it wasn't just the guns that were missing; so were the women - or rather, the "Bond girls." The digitally-altered images were met with widespread outrage on social media, with many accusing Amazon of "sanitizing" the Bond name.
In response to the backlash, Amazon replaced the edited posters with more traditional stills from the films. But here's the thing: even though these new images are untouched, they're still missing something - the guns and the girls. It's a watered-down version of Bond that would make Ian Fleming turn in his grave.
But don't worry, folks; we've got some good news to share. Anthony Boyle, star of the Netflix series House Of Guinness, has reportedly joined the list of potential candidates to take on the role of James Bond. The 31-year-old Belfast-born actor has already proven his acting chops in smash-hit Derry Girls and is now being touted as a contender for what would be his biggest role yet.
According to Ladbrokes bookies, Boyle is currently at 10/1 odds to become the next Bond, making him the fifth favorite to take over from Daniel Craig. Will he be the one to bring some much-needed grit and glamour back to the franchise? Only time will tell.
In related news, it seems that Amazon's efforts to sanitize the Bond series may not have gone unnoticed by the fans of the franchise. The hashtag #BringBackTheBondGirls is already trending on social media, with many calling for a return to the classic Bond formula - guns, girls, and gadgets galore!
As the battle for Bond continues, one thing is clear: Amazon's efforts to water down the 007 series have left fans feeling... well, let's just say not very "shaken, not stirred."