For an estimated $30 million, sources say, ABC has snapped up 13 James Bond films from MGM Worldwide Television. The is the first time in 10 years that these titles-including Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger
and Thunderball
-have been available to a network. Rights to the films are good through September 2002, but financial specifics weren't officially disclosed. Some James Bond films are still under contract with the TBS cable network, including A View to a Kill, License to Kill
and The Living Daylights. Also covered in the current MGM/ABC deal are You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, The Man With the Golden Gun
and Octopussy. No news yet on how ABC will run the movies, but it's expected they'll be part of the weekend lineup. With a strike perhaps cutting off series production this spring, the network is stocking up on content options.
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