Amazon Prime Slammed for Erasing Guns from James Bond Artwork: Fans Say 007 Has Been ‘Disarmed’
Amazon Prime Video is facing major backlash after quietly scrubbing iconic guns from promotional posters featuring James Bond, prompting fans to accuse the company of neutering one of cinema’s most legendary action heroes.
The controversy exploded online after British viewers noticed that several Bond thumbnails on Prime — including for classics like Dr. No, GoldenEye, Spectre, and A View to a Kill — had been edited to digitally remove firearms from the hands of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.
Instead of holding Bond’s signature Walther PPK or other weapons, the characters now appear awkwardly empty-handed — or are cropped in a way that conceals the weapon entirely.
The edits first came to light on October 5 — James Bond Day, when UK-based fans spotted the alterations and took to social media in droves. The reaction was swift and merciless.
“They photoshopped all the guns out of the James Bond movie thumbnails,” one post read. “Just in case you still had hope for Amazon being in charge of the franchise.”
British actor Rufus Jones joined in on the mockery, writing: “Amazon have removed the guns from their Bond posters, giving the tantalising impression that Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan think you’re a wanker.”
Others accused Amazon of watering down a franchise that has always been unapologetically action-driven. “Gaaagh! I feel my testosterone levels dropping just looking at these,” one fan joked. Another added: “When are they giving the characters on the posters purple hair and a mask?”
The company has since reverted some of the thumbnails back to using actual movie stills instead of the photoshopped key art, though none of the current promotional images show 007 with a firearm — a move fans say still signals a cowardly retreat from the character’s roots.
Amazon acquired the rights to the James Bond franchise in 2022 through its merger with MGM Studios. At the time, Amazon pledged to “honor the legacy” of the franchise and its creator, Ian Fleming. But fans are now openly questioning that commitment.
The Bond films have earned more than $7 billion globally since Sean Connery debuted as the British superspy in 1962’s Dr. No, and the character’s weaponry has always been as much a part of his identity as his tuxedo, martini, and Aston Martin.
Critics say the edits aren’t just a bad aesthetic choice — they reflect a broader cultural trend of sanitizing and reimagining classic masculine icons for modern sensibilities.
“It’s James Bond. He’s a government assassin. He’s not a life coach,” one fan wrote. “If you’re so afraid of guns that you can’t even show them in a Bond thumbnail, maybe don’t buy the rights to the franchise.”
Amazon has not issued an official explanation or apology. For now, the digital 007 remains holstered — and fans are letting the company know they’re not shaken, just stirred into outrage.