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Danjaq, LLC (formerly Danjaq S.A. and Danjaq, Inc.) is the
holding company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
responsible for the copyright and trademarks to the characters, elements, and other material related to
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...
on screen. It is currently owned and managed by the family of
Albert R. Broccoli Albert Romolo Broccoli ( ; April 5, 1909 – June 27, 1996), nicknamed "Cubby", was an American film producer who made more than 40 motion pictures throughout his career. Most of the films were made in the United Kingdom and often filmed at Pi ...
, the co-initiator of the popular film franchise.


History


Founding

Danjaq S.A. was founded by
Albert R. Broccoli Albert Romolo Broccoli ( ; April 5, 1909 – June 27, 1996), nicknamed "Cubby", was an American film producer who made more than 40 motion pictures throughout his career. Most of the films were made in the United Kingdom and often filmed at Pi ...
and Harry Saltzman after the release of the first James Bond film '' Dr. No'', in 1962, to ensure all future films in the series. The new company was to be called Danjaq, a combination of Broccoli and Saltzman's respective wives' names (Dana Broccoli and Jacqueline Saltzman). The company was originally domiciled in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland, hence the appearance of " S.A." letters in the first legal name of the company. In 1962, Danjaq began its association with
United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...
.


Ownership

Due to a series of failed business interests, Harry Saltzman's personal financial difficulties forced him to sell his 50% share of Danjaq to United Artists in 1975. In 1986, Albert and Dana Broccoli acquired United Artists' 50% stake in the company and so assumed complete control of Danjaq.
John Cork John Cork is an American author, screenwriter, and documentary film director and producer. Career An avid James Bond fan, Cork has produced, written (along with Bruce Scivally), and directed more than thirty documentaries for MGM's releases ...
claims that in exchange for the sale, MGM/ UA received an exclusive distribution deal with Danjaq that is far more lucrative than when the shares were originally owned by Broccoli and Saltzman. Danjaq's legal domicile was changed from Switzerland to Delaware in October 1992. The Delaware company’s legal name was ''Danjaq, Inc.'' The company was converted to a limited liability company in January 1997. In 1999, as part of a settlement of a lawsuit between MGM and
Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
, Sony acquired MGM's interest in the ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
'' film rights, while Danjaq bought out the rights to the novel '' Casino Royale''. Following the death of Albert Broccoli in 1996 and Dana Broccoli in 2004, control of Danjaq was passed to Michael G. Wilson.


Copyright status

Although the trademarks for material related to the Bond films are held by Danjaq, the copyrights to the first 20 film properties are co-owned by Danjaq LLC and
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
Studios (the technical successor to subsidiary
United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...
). The copyrights to '' Casino Royale'', ''
Quantum of Solace ''Quantum of Solace'' is a 2008 spy film and the twenty-second in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. It is the sequel to ''Casino Royale'' (2006). Directed by Marc Forster and written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade, and ...
'', '' Skyfall'' and ''
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and wri ...
'', are shared between Danjaq LLC, MGM, and Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.


Films made outside the control of Danjaq

Two Bond films have been made outside the control of Danjaq, the first was the 1967 film '' Casino Royale'', with David Niven as Bond; the second was the 1983 film '' Never Say Never Again'', a remake of '' Thunderball''. ''Never Say Never Again'' was the result of a legal dispute involving Kevin McClory, one of the credited co-writers of the story used for the novel '' Thunderball'', who was awarded the film rights to the novel in a 1963 settlement with
Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., an ...
.


Litigation


Danjaq LLC v. James Bond Ltd

On 13 July 2009, Danjaq applied under s.69(1)(b) of the
Companies Act 2006 The Companies Act 2006 (c 46) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which forms the primary source of UK company law. The Act was brought into force in stages, with the final provision being commenced on 1 October 2009. It largel ...
for a change of name of James Bond Ltd, which had been registered since 12 June 2009. James Bond Ltd was ordered by the adjudicator at the
Company Names Tribunal The Company Names Tribunal was created on 1 October 2008 in the United Kingdom and is a direct result of the coming into force of Section 69 of the Companies Act 2006. The Company Names Tribunal is administered by the UK Intellectual Property Off ...
to change its name and to not register another company with an offending name. The respondent was also ordered to contribute toward Danjaq's costs.Danjaq LLC v. James Bond Ltd
Retrieved 23 September 2014


References


External links


Information about Danjaq and Eon Productions
at Eon's website
Danjaq LLC v. Sony Corp., 263 F.3d 942 (9th Cir. 2001)
{{Authority control James Bond Holding companies of the United States Companies based in Santa Monica, California 1962 establishments in California Holding companies established in 1962 Film production companies of the United States American film studios Mass media companies established in 1962 American companies established in 1962