EA won't let go of such a succesful license - or maybe they're all just a bunch of huge Bond fans?
ELECTRONIC ARTS EXTENDS JAMES BOND LICENSE TO 2010
LOS ANGELES, May 12 - Electronic Arts Inc., a video game publisher, said on Monday it had extended the license to one of its most important franchises, "James Bond," through 2010.
Redwood City, California-based EA, which like the rest of the industry is gearing up for this week's E3 trade show in Los Angeles, said it had entered into the extension with MGM Interactive, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., and Danjaq LLC.
The deal covers all of Ian Fleming's "Bond" books, the 20 "Bond" films already released and any future "Bond" movies made by MGM.
EA also said Monday it has begun development on its new "Bond" game, "James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing," scheduled for a holiday 2003 release.
Last year, "James Bond 007: NightFire" was one of EA's top games, selling millions of units. The "Bond" movie franchises have generated billions of dollars in revenue since the first picture in the series, "Dr. No," in 1962.