Date: 3rd June 2015

Sony 'could lose James Bond rights'.


Sony Pictures could lose its licence to kill after the new James Bond film, Spectre (2015), is released this November.

The company currently co-finances and distributes the Bond series to cinemas under an agreement with film-makers Metro Goldwyn-Mayer - but the deal expires this year.

Sony chairman Tom Rothman told Variety he expected a fierce battle.

"Sure we're going to compete for the rights but, let's be honest, so is everybody in the business," he said.

Quoting unnamed "insiders", Variety said Warner Bros was Sony's chief rival for the film franchise.

MGM and Warners have a close working relationship after teaming up for Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.

But Sony can claim to have helped 2012's Skyfall become the biggest Bond film in history, with box office takings of $1.1bn (£716m).

Source: Press Release