Mexican officials reportedly offered up to US$20million in tax incentives to Sony Pictures and MGM in return for changes to be made to the next James Bond film, in an apparent attempt to combat the country’s negative image.
According to a report on the US website Tax Analysts, Mexico offered incentives in exchange for changes to to the script of Spectre, including a request for a Mexican Bond Girl and a non-Mexican villain.
Shooting in Mexico for the latest instalment of the Bond franchise, to be directed by Sam Mendes, is due to begin next week.
The report, based on internal Sony emails that were posted online by hackers purportedly linked to North Korea, said that studio executives from Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM pressured for changes to the script in order to secure the incentives.
“You have done a great job in getting us the Mexican incentive,” wrote Jonathan Glickman, president of MGM’s motion picture group, in an email to the film’s producers. “Let’s continue to pursue whatever avenues we have available to maximize this incentive.”
Mexico’s requests for changes to the film script went much further than the conditions governments typically attach to filming deals, Tax Analysts reported.