Michael G. Wilson

Background

Wilson was born in New York City, the son of Dana (née Natol) and actor Lewis Wilson. His father was the first actor to play the DC Comics character Batman in live action, which he did in the 1943 film serial Batman. He is the stepson of the James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli and half-brother to Bond co-producer Barbara Broccoli. Wilson graduated from Harvey Mudd College in 1963 as an electrical engineer. He later studied law at Stanford University. After graduating, Wilson worked for the United States government and later a firm located in Washington, D.C. that specialized in international law.

Wilson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to film, drama, philanthropy and skills, both alongside Barbara Broccoli. Wilson was awarded the British Film Institute Fellowship in 2022. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are founders of the London Screen Academy.

In 2010, Wilson was given The Royal Photographic Society's award for Outstanding Service to Photography, which carries with it an Honorary Fellowship of The Society. in 1998 Wilson and his wife Jane founded the Wilson Centre of Photography, a facility for research on the history, aesthetics and preservation of photographs. The Centre has an active programme that includes exhibition collaborations and loans for international museums and galleries.

Wilson is Honorary Vice President of the Science Museum Foundation, Fellow of the Science Museum London, as well as Trustee for the Carnegie Institution for Science and Harvey Mudd College.

James Bond franchise

In 1972, Wilson joined Eon Productions, the production company responsible for the James Bond film series dating back to 1962, beginning with his stepfather Albert R. 'Cubby' Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. Wilson specifically worked in Eon Productions' legal department until taking on a more active role as an assistant to Cubby Broccoli for the film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). In 1979 Wilson became executive producer of the film Moonraker and since has been an executive producer or producer in every James Bond film, currently co-producing with his half-sister Barbara Broccoli.

Wilson collaborated five times with veteran Bond screenwriter Richard Maibaum, starting in 1981 with For Your Eyes Only. In 1989, Wilson was forced to finish the screenplay to Licence to Kill alone due to a strike by the Writers Guild of America West which prevented Maibaum from having any further involvement. For both, this was their final James Bond script, as Maibaum died in 1991 and Wilson ceased writing, although he outlined a never-produced film in the series with writer Alfonse Ruggiero, scrapped due to internal legal issues between Eon and MGM (the following film, GoldenEye, being a completely different story written by Michael France).

In addition to his production duties, Wilson has also made many cameo appearances (speaking and non-speaking) in the Bond films. His first appearance, long before becoming a producer, was in Goldfinger in which he appeared as a soldier. Wilson has made cameo appearances in every Eon-produced Bond film since 1977. In February 2025, Wilson and Broccoli announced that they would be ceding creative control of the Bond franchise to Amazon MGM Studios for a reported $1 billion, forming "a new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property rights".

Personal life

Wilson and his wife Jane have two sons: A younger son, Gregg Wilson, and an older son, David G. Wilson, both of whom work at Eon Productions.

Filmography

Executive producer

• Moonraker (1979)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017)

Producer with Albert R. Broccoli

• A View to a Kill (1985)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• Licence to Kill (1989)

Producer with Barbara Broccoli

• GoldenEye (1995)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World Is Not Enough (1999)
• Die Another Day (2002)
• Casino Royale (2006)
• Quantum of Solace (2008)
• Skyfall (2012)
• Spectre (2015)
• The Rhythm Section (2020)
• No Time to Die (2021)

Screenwriter (with Richard Maibaum)

• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• A View to a Kill (1985)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• Licence to Kill (1989)

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (March 25, 2015). "New Year's Honours 2008: CSV".
2. "Michael Wilson Biography (1942-)".
3. (December 8, 2014). "Michael G. Wilson". Carnegie Science.
4. {{London Gazette. (January 1, 2022)
5. (17 June 2022). "James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli honoured with BFI Fellowships".
6. Clarke, Stewart. (Oct 10, 2018). "Eon, Working Title, and Heyday Launch London School Specializing in Industry Skills".
7. "Outstanding Service". Royal Photographic Society.
8. Franklin, Stuart. (28 Feb 2017). "How the producer of James Bond built one of the world's greatest photography collections".
9. Badger, Gerry. (December 28, 2024). "Wilson Centre For Photography, Gerry Badger in Conversation With Michael Wilson".
10. (15 April 2024). "The Wilson Centre for Photography deposits magnificent collection at the Bodleian Libraries".
11. (October 29, 2014). "Celebrating The Opening Of The Information Age".
12. (January 4, 2024). "Science Museum Group Fellows".
13. (February 1, 2025). "Board of Trustees & Advisory Committee".
14. (January 2, 2024). "2024 – 2025 Members Of The Board".
15. Smith, Jim. (2002). "Bond Films". [[Virgin Books]].
16. Orquiola, John. (2020-11-14). "How Timothy Dalton's Unmade 3rd James Bond Predicted Dalton & Craig's 007 Movies".
17. "Michael G. Wilson".
18. (2025-02-21). "Amazon paid more than $1bn to take creative control of James Bond". The Guardian.
19. Kroll, Anthony D'Alessandro,Justin. (2025-02-20). "Amazon MGM Studios Shelled Out An Extra $1 Billion-Plus To Take Control Of James Bond: What's Next For The Franchise".
20. Fraser, Kevin. (2025-02-20). "Amazon MGM Studios spent $1 billion to take control of James Bond franchise".
21. Staff, Amazon. (2025-02-20). "Amazon MGM Studios announces new joint venture with Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for James Bond franchise rights".
22. Dibdin, Emma. (October 25, 2012). "Christopher Nolan as Bond director 'would be a dream', says producer". [[Digital Spy]].
23. (2013-02-10). "Baftas 2013: Skyfall gives Bond his first major Bafta for 50 years".
24. (2013-10-31). "James Bond producers to receive PGA Award". BBC News.
25. Hipes, Patrick. (2022-04-21). "Michael G. Wilson And Barbara Broccoli To Receive Will Rogers Pioneer Of The Year Award".
26. (June 12, 2024). "The Academy to Honor Richard Curtis, Quincy Jones, Juliet Taylor, Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli at 15th Governors Awards". [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].