Inside the Deal: How Knives Out Helped Netflix Secure James Bond Despite Amazon Ownership

Netflix just pulled off another library land grab. After cutting a big licensing pact with Warner Bros., the streamer has now inked a deal with Amazon MGM that brings James Bond and a bunch of other name-brand movies and shows to Netflix. It is a timed drop and it does not mean Netflix suddenly owns any of this stuff, but it is a very loud swing in the ongoing franchise arms race.

So what did Netflix actually get?

Netflix struck a new licensing agreement with Amazon MGM Studios to stream several of its titles, headlined by 007. The plan is for Bond to hit Netflix on January 15, 2026, for a limited run. Trade chatter pegs that Bond window at three months. Early listings called it a selection of Bond films, but current guidance points to the full slate of 25 official EON entries plus the outlier, Sean Connery's 1983 comeback 'Never Say Never Again.' As always with these things, expect the fine print (and regional rights) to matter.

Insiders are framing the time-boxed deal as a strategic play to widen reach and wake up lapsed viewers. Translation: a vault-opening event makes people show up fast. And Netflix has been in that mood lately.

The lineup and the date to circle

January 15, 2026 is the big drop. Here is what Netflix says is coming under this Amazon MGM pact, with Bond’s three-month window the clearest timing so far:

• James Bond: All 25 official films plus 'Never Say Never Again' (timed window, expected three months)
• Rocky and Creed: The full boxing saga across both franchises
• Legally Blonde: Bend-and-snap era comedy favorites
• The Addams Family: Film entries joining the library
• The Man in the High Castle: Streaming globally on Netflix the same day
• Fargo (TV): Arriving in select regions
• Hunters (TV): Already available on Netflix in multiple international markets under a one-year arrangement

Quick reality check on the Warner stuff

If you have seen messy headlines suggesting Netflix bought Warner Bros. or HBO, no. Netflix recently did a wide-ranging licensing deal with Warner Bros., but that was not an acquisition. This new Amazon MGM pact arrives on the heels of that momentum.

Why this, why now

Netflix has been leaning hard into recognizable IP, and it helps that one of its big homegrown theatrical-scale franchises is thriving on-platform. 'Knives Out' kicked off in 2019 with Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc and has stayed both popular and well-reviewed. The third film, 'Wake Up Dead Man,' just landed on Netflix, and the series continues to be one of the streamer's most reliable movie draws. When your own whodunit franchise is humming, you double down on more marquee names to keep subscribers busy between your originals.

A word from Amazon MGM

"Bringing these iconic films and shows to Netflix is part of that continued strategy."

That is Chris Ottinger, who runs worldwide distribution at Amazon MGM Studios. He also pointed out that Bond remains one of the most enduring film brands out there and that this kind of deal taps into the global appetite for premium, familiar storytelling. Hard to argue with that.

The fine print that matters

This is a licensing deal, not forever ownership, so windows and territories will vary. Bond’s three-month Netflix run is the standout detail; the other titles could have different time frames. Expect some regional carve-outs (Fargo is already noted as region-specific, for example). And yes, lineups can change as contracts finalize.

Bottom line: starting January 15, 2026, Netflix becomes a temporary 007 headquarters, with Rocky, Creed, Legally Blonde, The Addams Family, and more piling on. It is a short, sharp blast of crowd-pleasers designed to make you hit play fast.