Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios since 2018, is stepping down to pursue producing, the company announced Thursday. This move ends a rocky tenure marked by big-budget misfires and stalled progress on the James Bond franchise.
Salke’s departure comes just weeks after Amazon secured full creative control of the Bond series, paying a reported $1 billion to longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Industry insiders suggest this deal may have hastened Salke’s exit. Under Salke’s leadership, Bond languished, as Amazon invested heavily in splashy, global-appeal shows like “Citadel” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which were both costly failures. While a few of her projects found success, many failed to justify their massive budgets.
Salke will transition to a producing role with a first-look deal at Amazon MGM. While her executive tenure was mixed, some see potential in her new creative focus. Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, praised Salke’s contributions, but announced a flatter leadership structure going forward. Film chief Courtenay Valenti and TV head Vernon Sanders will now report directly to Hopkins. This streamlined approach could lead to faster, smarter decisions, potentially benefiting the studio’s future projects.
As Amazon regroups, all eyes are on the future of the James Bond franchise and whether new leadership can maximize the potential of the MGM library. The 007 franchise is now under new creative direction after Amy Pascal and David Heyman were officially confirmed as producers for the next James Bond film. There’s renewed hope the future of the super-spy will benefit from fresh perspectives brought by Pascal and Heyman, an appointment that represents a significant shift in the James Bond franchise’s leadership and aligns with Amazon’s plans to continue the series under new creative direction.
As Amazon regroups, all eyes are on the future of James Bond and whether new leadership can maximize the potential of the MGM library.
****
Todd Fisher
Todd lives in Northern California with "the wife," "the kids," "the dogs," "that cat," and he occasionally wears pants. His upcoming release, "Are You Woke Enough Yet?", is the culmination of too much time on social media and working in the film industry.
English (US) · 