The Bond That Broke Amazon
Hollywood execs come and go, but Jen Salke's departure from Amazon/MGM feels like more than just another changing of the guard. After all, she wasn't just any executive—she was the one who greenlit Amazon's biggest (and most expensive) gambles: the $500M “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” the $300M Russo Brothers misfire “Citadel,” and a $100M partnership with Phoebe Waller-Bridge that, so far, has amounted to exactly zero hit shows.
But if you really want to know what did Salke in, look no further than Bond—James Bond.
The Amazon vs. Broccoli Battle
It's no secret that Amazon has been eyeing the Bond franchise like a starving dog circling a steak. The $1 billion Bond deal was supposed to be Amazon's golden goose, a way to turn the world's most famous spy into a sprawling cinematic universe. But there was one problem: Barbara Broccoli wasn't buying what Salke was selling.
A December report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that Salke had been pushing for a “Marvel-style” expansion of Bond, including spin-offs and interconnected storylines. Broccoli, ever the franchise purist, reportedly hated the idea—and didn't hold back in saying so. Sources claimed she stormed out of a meeting after hearing Salke refer to Bond as “content.” Later, she allegedly told friends that Amazon's executives were, in her words, “f***ing idiots.”
Salke's Hollywood Résumé—And the Problem With It
Salke's background in television isn't in question—she played a key role in hits like The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Glee, and Modern Family during her time at NBC and Fox. But movies? That was new territory for her. And according to sources, she never really embraced it. A former Amazon insider told Hollywood Elsewhere that Salke had barely any knowledge of Bond history beyond the Daniel Craig era and considered anything pre-1980 “an old movie.”
The same source claimed she rarely read scripts, preferring instead to throw money at big-name talent—like the Russo Brothers, who landed an eye-watering deal for Citadel, only for the show to fizzle. And it wasn't just Bond. According to a writer-director familiar with Amazon's internal discussions, Salke reportedly axed a Conan the Barbarian reboot from Game of Thrones producers, dismissing it as “toxic masculinity.”
The Bezos Factor: Why Salke Had to Go
The timing of Salke's exit is almost too perfect to be a coincidence. Amazon is finalizing its billion-dollar Bond deal—its biggest film play yet—and the last thing Jeff Bezos wants is another misfire. The way some insiders see it, Prime Video head Mike Hopkins cut out the middleman, ensuring that MGM's film and TV divisions now report directly to him. The message? No more reckless spending. No more franchise fumbles. No more Salke.
Her tenure was defined by excess—big budgets, big deals, and big flops. And while she's transitioning to producing, one thing is clear: Amazon's days of throwing cash at Hollywood without a clear plan are over.
What's Next for Amazon, Bond, and Hollywood?
With Salke out, the question remains: Will Amazon learn from its mistakes? Will Bond stay true to its roots, or will Bezos eventually get his interconnected spy-verse? And most importantly—who's next in line to shake (not stir) things up at MGM?
One thing's for sure: Hollywood is watching.
