Barbara Broccoli made calls to her collaborators to tell them she and Michael G. Wilson were making a deal to relinquish James Bond creative rights.

The studio will take the reins for the 60-year-old movie property, while Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will remain co-owners as they move to the sidelines as part of a joint venture transaction.

In a new interview, Timothy Dalton, who played the infamous agent in “The Living Daylights” (1987) and “License to Kill” (1989), reacted to the news that Amazon MGM Studios gained creative control over the film franchise after producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson announced they would be taking a step back.