Big fight to secure rights to distribute 007 movies

James Bond actor Daniel Craig at the presentation of Spectre in Mexico City on Nov 1, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple and Amazon have joined a bevy of suitors bidding for distribution rights for the lucrative movies depicting the exploits of James Bond, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The competition includes Warner, Sony, MGM, Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox.

Sony previously owned the distribution rights but they expired with the 2015 release of the latest Bond film Spectre.

Amazon has been spending billions of dollars to create and license TV shows and films.

Earlier this year, company unit Amazon Studios scored a best actor Oscar for Casey Affleck's portrayal of a grieving man in the movie Manchester By The Sea.

Apple, which is relatively new to the world of original content, began a long-awaited move into television in June with a reality show called Planet Of The Apps.

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