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After the release of Christopher Nolan‘s 2020 sci-fi film “Tenet“, there were rumors that the director was considering directing an entry in the James Bond franchise. Now, Variety has released a new report that shows he was, but things fell through.

Variety explains the control of longtime producer Barbara Broccoli alongside Michael G. Wilson in a new report about Amazon’s acquisition of the creative rights to the franchise. Sources believe that Broccoli and Wilson were too cautious, despite their resistance to spawning Bond films into a whole universe, as noted in the report.

So, why did Christopher Nolan turn down a big offer? There is a specific example that involves Nolan that was mentioned, Nolan expressed interest in making a Bond movie after the release of “Tenet“. But Broccoli made it clear that the final cut of a movie would not be given to any director, Nolan, who is famous for demanding the final cut of his projects, ultimately abandoned the project and went on to make 2023’s “Oppenheimer“.

While it’s uncertain if Nolan will ever return to the world of James Bond, the note confirms long-lasting rumors that he had planned to film in the legendary spy world.

So it came as a surprise when Broccoli and Wilson made a shocking announcement that they will be stepping away from their long-term role as producers of the franchise, allowing Amazon MGM Studios to take creative control of the franchise.

The three parties will remain co-owners of the Bond series, but now Amazon MGM Studios will have creative control, something that Broccoli and Wilson had retained before. Prior to the announcement, both Wilson and Broccoli had been known as fiercely protective over the franchise. In a statement on the move, Wilson noted that he was stepping back to focus more on art and charitable projects, while Broccoli said she would be focusing on other projects now.

“With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects,” Wilson said in his statement. “Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”

“My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli,” added Broccoli.