The Oscars are ready to toast the celebration with a martini — shaken, not stirred.
Variety has learned exclusively that the ceremony will perform a special tribute of the iconic songs of the James Bond franchise at Sunday’s Academy Awards in honor of longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who received Honorary Oscars at the past Governors Awards. The Academy declined to comment.
While details remain scarce, it is unclear whether the tribute will focus solely on Oscar-winning and nominated songs or take a broader approach to celebrating all 26 Bond themes. However, according to sources, the tribute will include what is being described as an assembly of surprising and immense talents.
If the Academy opts for a comprehensive retrospective, it could offer long-overdue recognition to classics such as Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” which, despite being considered one of the franchise’s finest musical moments, was overlooked by the Oscars at the time of its release. Not all performers in the tribute will necessarily have ties to the series.
Since the release of “Dr. No” in 1962, the James Bond film series has become one of the longest-running and highest-grossing franchises in cinema history, spanning 25 films over six decades. Throughout its history, Bond theme songs have played a defining role in shaping the films’ identity, merging cinematic grandeur with pop music’s biggest names.
However, Oscar voters were slow to embrace Bond songs in the franchise’s early years. Bassey’s “Goldfinger,” the now-iconic theme from the 1964 film of the same name, failed to receive a nomination despite its lasting impact. In recent years, however, the Academy has made amends, recognizing Bond songs with increased frequency. Six Bond themes have received Oscar nominations:
“Live and Let Die” from “Live and Let Die” (1973) by Paul and Linda McCartney
“Nobody Does It Better” from “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977) by Carly Simon
“For Your Eyes Only” from “For Your Eyes Only” (1981) by Bill Conti and Mick Leeson
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall” (2012) by Adele and Paul Epworth (winner)
“Writing’s on the Wall” from “Spectre” (2015) by Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes (winner)
“No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die” (2021) by Billie Eilish and Finneas (winner)
The Oscars tribute comes at a moment of transformation for the Bond franchise. At the 15th Governors Awards earlier this season, longtime Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli were honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, recognizing their commitment to cinematic excellence.
During a retrospective video package celebrating their careers, the duo hinted at the franchise’s future. In a telling exchange, Wilson referred to the next Bond as “he” before Broccoli quickly interjected: “Or she.”
The Bond series is also undergoing significant structural changes behind the scenes. It was just announced that Wilson, Broccoli and Amazon MGM Studios had formed a new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property within the studio. This will allow Amazon creative control while keeping the longtime producers as co-owners.
As the Academy prepares to celebrate the past year of movies — which has films like Sean Baker’s “Anora,” Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” and Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” at the forefront of the Oscars race — the Bond tribute will be an opportunity to see how Bond’s most memorable themes are honored. The night will feature surprise performances from some artists who have defined Bond’s sound over the decades, and we can’t wait to see which ones.
The Oscars air on Sunday, March 2.
