Me too. It’s not a novelisation at all. It’s a new novel. I rather imagined there was going to be a novelisation to the next film - which would be very early to announce even if it were true 
Be great if novelisations were mainstream again. They only seem to be juniour ones for sci-fi movies nowadays.
Sorry everyone, I mistyped the announcement. My bad.
What exactly was Amy Pascal’s contribution during Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace ?
Do we have it on record that she chose Craig over Cavil ?
I can only see information pertaining to her input for Spectre, courtesy of the Sony leaks
I don’t have the book in front of me but SOME KIND OF HERO covered it in detail in the Casino Royale chapter.
Since 2003 Pascal had been the chairwoman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group (in charge of the movie side of things) then on 2006 she was made the chairwoman of Sony Pictures Entertainment (in charge of the whole company).
When BB wanted Craig she backed her decision.
One imagines the role would have been that of a liaison between Eon House and Sony - not necessarily high profile but hugely important for the smoothness of productions and the general working atmosphere because she was apparently trusted by both parties.
Thank you! These Bond announcements were the best presents!
It’s nice to see movement being made on Bond 26. Hopefully, we’ll get a director announcement soon with Bond 7 to follow.
And this is why EON to Amazon is worrying - the steady hand is gone.
We are in a new reality where those in charge of Bond 26 might not be the ones in charge of Bond 27…
“The feeling is Valenti is more than capable, though there are rumors Amazon MGM might bring in another executive to focus on 007.”
While it would appear to be true that those in charge of Bond 26–Amy Pascal and David Heyman–might not be the ones in charge of Bond 27 (at least as of this moment we haven’t heard that they would produce any James Bond films past 26), I’m not overly concerned about that right now. I’m primarily concerned about what Amazon is going to do with Bond 26. THAT will go a long way toward determining the direction and quality of Amazon’s Bond series. And I wouldn’t be surprised that if Bond 26 is a hit, that Amazon would bring back Pascal and Heyman for at least as long as the new Bond is around.
This Jennifer Salke news, however, does please me. After hearing and reading about the Barbara Brocoli-Jen Salke rift earlier in the year, I was VERY worried about what she might do if she was left in charge of the Bond series. I did not think she was the right person for the job AT ALL. So to learn that she is now out and Courtney Valenti is in gives me a big sigh of relief. Of course, this being new territory post-EON, we’re not out of the woods yet, but so far in this last week, I believe Amazon has done everything right so far (hiring Pascal and Heyman and “ousting” Salke). They’re two for two on big decisions, so I continue to be cautiously optimistic about Bond 26. In the next few weeks(?)/months should come the hiring of a director and then the huge potentially make-or-break choice of the next 007. I can’t wait. 
(And to answer Deadline’s headline question, yes, I do think the 007 tribulations sealed Jennifer Salke’s fate.)
Entirely possible. But how much of that fallout can really have been Salke’s fault? Let’s face it, from what we’ve heard about that clash Salke apparently just did what she was supposed to do as Amazon Studio’s head: making suggestions to develop the brand. That’s what every exec in that role would have done, with the obvious suggestions: streaming, spinoffs and the like. We don’t know the exact details, but what was reported was precisely what we’ve been speculating ourselves here.
So I don’t really know if that fallout can really be said to have been Salke’s fault; at least not as long as we haven’t learned anything new about this particular episode.
Exactly.
Salke might be a perfect scapegoat now, and nobody of us knows how Salke is like.
The timing of her exit, though, is either cruel to her or her own attempt at sticking it to Amazon.
In any event, Pascal left Sony to become a producer as well. It’s the usual move and often leads to success again.
One thing is for sure: working at a streamer is even more volatile than for a studio. Although those are quickly becoming like streamers as well.
Seth Rogan cannot be applauded enough for his courage and chuzpe…
“Sources said Salke wanted to make Bond into a broader, less dangerous character who could star in TV shows and carry video games. But her desire to make 007 into a cuddly hero for Middle America made Broccoli wince.”
It is a small(ish) detail that keeps being ignored. EON are being paid for creative control, not ownership. Eon can pull away if they don’t like the choice, they’re just not wanting to do the day to day thing anymore.
So, the lady with the funny ideas that led to Amazon not getting to terms with Eon – which ended up with Eon handing over the family silverware – did quit after all that? Mission accomplished, or what? Get on BB’s nerves until she gives up and takes the money?
Makes you wonder if Amazon had fired her months ago, would EON have sold?
I’m positing my theory.
It was a condition of the sale, that Salke had to go.
All reporting has been clear that Babs had absolutely no time for Salke’s vision of Bond - either in what it is now or what it could be. Remember, EON didn’t have to sell creative control - they could have continued to sit on it. Yes, clearly, MGW was retiring, there was no-one ready in the family pipeline, and Babs creative juices were spent. But, they didn’t need the money, and didn’t need to sell.
Which put them in a very strong position.
“Hey Amazon, we don’t need to sell. But if you want it that bad, here’s what it’s going to cost. A boatload of money and a guarantee that that woman doesn’t get anywhere near the property.”
Hollywood being Hollywood (or the executive echelons anywhere) - Amazon pay up, but it’s agreed that for the sake of everyone’s face, it just looks like Salke’s moving on to greener pastures, and hey! Look, we’ve got Pascal and Heyman!
Amazon wanted Bond bad enough to pay big bucks and chuck out just one more exec that none of us had heard of six weeks ago. For the price of doing business, it’s a good deal for everyone. Amazon get Bond, EON get a billion and the ability to “sleep soundly” at night, and a faceless exec gets a golden parachute to p(&^ off.
The Broccolis have always had one (of many) assets - the ability to read people. Whether it was casting a labourer as Bond, or a blonde, or trusting a select team of people to work with, or in this case, knowing who not to let a country mile near the franchise.
I think you’re right plankattack. And I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of that Wall Street Journal article that EON used to pass on their disgruntled feelings about their discussions with Amazon and specifically Jennifer Salke in this whole process. It let Amazon and namely Jeff Bezos know in no uncertain terms that Barbara Broccoli and EON were serious about their unhappiness with the Amazon/Salke talks–at which point Bezos and Mike Hopkins knew there was no way to get the James Bond films going with Salke involved.
Us Bond fans may have been really frustrated with the lack of movement from EON since No Time To Die finished filming. But after reading this article, I think we can offer one final thank you to Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson for standing firm regarding Amazon while it still had Salke in charge. Bond’s future would have been very bleak under Salke. Now, Bond’s future, while not guaranteed to have success, at least still has a promising, or at least hopeful, future.
Broccoli and EON may no longer be calling the shots in the James Bond universe, but in the past few months their last acts as the controlling interests of the filmic 007 have saved our favorite secret agent and put him in a much better place–and for that I am very appreciative. Thank you Barbara and Michael. 
The idea of a less dangerous, sanitised Bond makes me wince too. I’m glad she’s gone. Bond puts on a charming front but at the core he’s a cold killer. I’m over existing characters being altered into something they aren’t, so that bullet has hopefully been dodged for the time being.
Agreed Double-Oh.
Bezos being quoted as saying “Whatever it takes get rid of that woman” is a great line for blogs and beat writers with no inside information. But I don’t for a moment think that someone as successful as Bezos had that level of disrespect for Babs - who, if we’re honest, heads a company whose franchise has consistently printed copious of amounts of money. You can’t say that about DC, Marvel, Mission Impossible.
Success respects success and I can’t imagine a world where Bezos wasn’t sitting on his yacht with only Babs on the other end of the line having an honest heart-to-heart about what everyone wants.
Amazon want the success that EON have built, and Amazon/Bezos haven’t become who they are without a) thinking they’re the smartest in the room, and more importantly, without b) cribbing the minds of those who’ve been the smartest and most successful. And as franchises go, that’s EON.
Listening to where EON were philosophically, as well as financially - well I think Bezos and his crew were smart enough to recognize what Bond means to EON. And with all the success the franchise has had, see that as a strength rather than as a weakness. That Salke is leaving is circumstantial evidence of that.
Disney on the other hand, I don’t believe gave two hoots about Lucas’ perspective, believing that they just knew better. Lucas himself has said it was clear that they had no regard for his input or opinions And look how that’s ended up.
For all that they are, Amazon are too smart to repeat the mistakes of others. Hiring Pascal, with a track record with Bond (in, let us not forget, the very turbulent time of 04-06 where a great many “fans” thought EON were getting it wrong), is a sign that they have heard the notion that the property has value beyond currency.
Even Moore, “the fun Bond” made it clear that the cold killer was always right there.