Last month, MGM’s CEO Gary Barber was unexpectedly fired from the company, and the move has left the future of the studio up in the air. As of this writing, the studio hasn’t directly stated whether or not it is putting itself up for sale or if it’s simply looking for a new CEO.

However, this limbo state has people buzzing, and the fact that they aren’t rushing to replace the CEO seems to indicate that it’s indeed for sale. That isn’t all, a source over at THR is stating that they are trying to use the Bond franchise as leverage for purchase.

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“You’ve got a company that arguably will find it a lot more challenging to exist over the long period as an independent entity,” analyst Tuna Amobi told the outlet. “Which means they could be a potentially attractive takeover play for a number of the other major studios.”

The Bond series is valued between $1 billion and $3 billion, meaning that it’s worth quite a bit. With that in mind, it’s no wonder MGM is using it as leverage. Plus, with a new, potentially Danny Boyle-directed, film on the horizon, its brand is as strong as ever.

Bond 25 is currently slated for a November 2019 release.

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SOURCE: THR