Apple could bid billions on 'James Bond' movies

Apple is looking to make a big splash in scripted TV and movies, and it may enlist the help of a certain fictional secret agent to help it gain a foothold in Hollywood.

Apple is looking to bid on the film rights for the "James Bond" franchise, the Hollywood Reporter said on Wednesday.

The iPhone company is joining a long list of powerful suitors for the franchise including Amazon and Warner Bros, according to the report. But tech companies Amazon and Apple may be willing to outbid Hollywood powers like Warner Bros.

"James Bond" may be worth anywhere between $2 billion and $5 billion, according to the report, and that's not including, say, the ownership needed to bring 007 to television. The negotiations are over distribution rights to a movie planned for release in 2019.

British film production company Eon controls the rights to the series along with MGM. The last Bond movie, "Spectre," was distributed by Sony. Apple's negotiations are being led by recently hired executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who used to work at Sony Pictures Television.

The Hollywood Reporter has lots of additional details about the negotiations.