Amazon Rewrites Bond History

Amazon removes firearms and conceals Rolex from Bond posters?

In a move that sparked outrage from both Bond nerds and culture warriors alike, Amazon Prime Video quietly edited promotional artwork for classic James Bond films, digitally removing or cropping out the spy’s iconic Walther PPK pistol.

The changes affected key art for several titles on the platform, including Dr. No, Goldfinger, and GoldenEye, where Bond’s gun was either erased or replaced entirely, leaving the character awkwardly posed and unarmed. Additionally, warnings were reportedly added to several films, including “violence, alcohol use, smoking, and foul language,” and even “womanising.” 

The edits were first spotted by Bond nerds, igniting accusations of cultural sanitizing and “vandalism” targeting one of cinema’s most enduring symbols of fictional espionage.

But one additional detail stood out to the W.O.E.’s eagle eyes, in the updated Dr. No artwork, Amazon also obscured Sean Connery’s watch with stylized “Dr. No 007” text. The “Big Crown” Rolex Submariner ref. 6538 is arguably one of the most iconic watches in cinematic history, and it's reasonable to assume that covering it up was no accident. While other watches have been featured in the early years of the franchise, prior to the launch of Omega’s partnership with 007 in 1995’s GoldenEye, when it came to watches, Bond was synonymous with Rolex.

Maybe It's A Coincidence?

We don’t believe in coincidences, and the timing is also suspicious. The same day that the artwork was updated, 05 October, which is apparently “Bond Day”, Omega unveiled 007: First Light, a new action-adventure video game developed by IO Interactive in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios. Set for release in March 2026, the game follows a young Bond whose missions and gadgetry center around an Omega Seamaster Chronograph designed specifically for the story line, cementing the brand’s three-decade-long connection to the franchise while serving as a clear sign that Omega is here to stay.  

Is it a coincidence that Omega released this video on the same day that Amazon updated its visuals to obscure the Rolex on the Dr. No poster? Maybe, but again, we don’t believe in coincidences… 

Promo for First Light 007 video game, which ironically features both an Omega Seamaster Chronograph and Bond's Walther PPK. 

Amazon & Bond - A Rocky Start

Amazon acquired the 007 franchise as part of its 2022 purchase of MGM Studios, an $8.5B deal that gave the tech giant control over Bond’s extensive film library and future projects, including upcoming titles, any resulting spinoffs, and the video game. While Daniel Craig’s replacement has not been named, it is clear that the partnership with Omega will continue, with the video game serving as clear evidence.

To be clear, I would be perturbed if Amazon decided to pivot away from Omega in favor of another brand willing to pay more. While Bond of the 60s was synonymous with Rolex, today Bond is very much an Omega man. That said, erasing the Submariner feels less like a coincidence and more like brand politics. For a series built on the mythology of espionage, the quiet redaction of Bond’s original tool watch and sidearm says more  about the modern entertainment landscape than it does about the fictional world of MI6.

Bond’s firearm and watch featuring prominently, the way they should be. Pierce Brosnan wielding an AKS-74U with an Omega Seamaster on the wrist.

Marketing Suits Disconnect With Consumers

The removal of the iconic PPK is the latest example of culture war backlash. The cycle is well established: a brand makes changes to established logos, characters, and story lines, often under the guise of “modernization,” “sensitivity,” or “brand alignment”, perceived by parts of the audience as erasing tradition or cultural heritage. After the backlash, the brand, in this case Amazon, quietly reverses the decision and hopes it goes away.

While I generally try to avoid these types of virtue-signalling conversations, I have to agree that trying to whitewash history is silly and demonstrates a complete disconnect between marketing suits in conference rooms and consumers on their couches. 

After widespread backlash, Amazon pulled the modified images and replaced them with safer, some still gun-free versions, though the company offered no official explanation. The decision highlights the tension between modern corporate sensibilities and the historical reality of a fictional intelligence officer whose weapon was as integral to his identity as his watch, car, or tuxedo.

The reality is, James Bond is a womanizing, gun-toting, debonair spy who woos beautiful women and shoots bad guys in the face. But remember, it is fiction. If you are mature, you should be able to enjoy the (fictional) film series without overthinking it. They are just movies. 

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