Austrian Businessman Files Legal Suit To Take Ownership Of ‘James Bond’ Name

deadline.com:

The name’s Bond, James Bond, and it’s now the subject of a legal campaign by an Austrian businessman who wants the famous moniker for his luxury property empire in Dubai.

The Guardian newspaper reports that Josef Kleindienst, who is building a $6billion compound on six man-made islands in Dubai,  filed a “number of cancellation actions” on January 27, citing EU law which states that if a trademarked name is left commercially unused for at least five years, then a challenge to revoke ownership can be made.

Versions of 007’s name forming the subject of the suit include ‘James Bond Special Agent 007’ and ‘James Bond 007’. The newspaper reports that Kleindienst’s building group confirms that the businessman has plans to utilise the Bond name if he wins his challenge, and that an “announcement is coming soon.” The most recent James Bond movie No Time to Die was released in 2021, but there is no word yet on another forthcoming title in the series or a replacement for Daniel Craig.

Bond as an intellectual property is co-owned by filmmakers Eon and MGM Studios, with the latter being sold to Amazon in 2022.