James Bond Faces a New Villain: A Dubai Developer’s Bid for 007’s Name
James Bond has squared off against megalomaniacal villains, nefarious billionaires, and shadowy global conspiracies. But his latest adversary is not a SPECTRE agent or a power-hungry industrialist—it’s an Austrian property developer with a taste for high-stakes legal challenges.
Josef Kleindienst, a Dubai-based businessman, has launched an audacious bid to wrest control of the James Bond trademark from its longtime guardians, claiming they have not fully utilised it across a range of commercial categories.
The Battle for Bond’s Name
Kleindienst, the man behind Dubai’s extravagant $5bn Heart of Europe resort, has fired the first salvo in a legal skirmish that could see the world’s most famous secret agent lose control of his own name.
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The developer has lodged a series of “cancellation actions based on non-use” in both the UK and the EU, challenging the ownership of multiple James Bond trademarks on the grounds that they have not been actively used in certain commercial sectors for at least five years.
Among the trademarks under threat are James Bond Special Agent 007, James Bond 007, James Bond: World of Espionage, and, crucially, the iconic phrase, “Bond, James Bond.”
Kleindienst’s case hinges on the claim that the Bond name has not been commercially exploited in areas such as electronic publishing, vehicle models, computer software, and even hospitality services, which include restaurants and cocktail lounges.
According to Mark Caddle, a partner at the intellectual property firm Withers & Rogers, “He is challenging a number of UK and European Union trademark registrations for James Bond. The basis of the European Union filings is that James Bond has not been used for the goods and services it protects, and that is likely to be the same basis of the filings in the UK.”
A High-Stakes Gambit
Trademark law in both the UK and EU is clear: if a trademark is not actively used in its registered categories for five years, it becomes vulnerable to legal challenges.
But what does Kleindienst actually hope to achieve? A spokesperson for the businessman has hinted that plans are already in motion, with an “announcement coming soon” should his challenge prove successful.
Kleindienst, whose company claims to be the largest European property developer in the UAE, appears to be playing a long game. As Caddle notes, “[Kleindienst] appears to be a property developer based in Dubai so it is hard to know what he is up to with Bond in the UK and Europe. He must have some motive.”
One possible strategy could be clearing the legal path for his own Bond-branded venture—perhaps a lavish 007-themed hotel, casino, or entertainment complex. While he has not yet lodged any fresh trademark applications, if he were to succeed in revoking Danjaq’s ownership of the Bond name in specific commercial areas, he could theoretically swoop in and claim them for himself.
The Guardians of 007
If Kleindienst is expecting the Bond franchise to roll over without a fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. The James Bond trademarks are controlled by Danjaq, the US-based company that oversees all official 007 merchandising, working closely with the fiercely protective Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson of Eon Productions.
The latter, of course, is the powerhouse behind the James Bond film franchise, having transformed Ian Fleming’s novels into a cinematic juggernaut spanning six decades.
Danjaq also co-owns the copyright to the James Bond movies alongside MGM Studios, which was acquired by Amazon in 2021 for $8.5bn—the same year No Time to Die hit cinemas. That financial muscle, coupled with Eon’s legendary determination to safeguard Bond’s legacy, makes it unlikely that Kleindienst’s gambit will go unchallenged.
According to Caddle, “Following the date of the filing of the cancellations, Danjaq has two months to submit their defence. If Danjaq want to keep these alive they will need to engage in a trademark office action to show that they have used James Bond in the areas being challenged in the last five years.”
With the deadline looming, all eyes are on Danjaq’s next move. If history has taught us anything, however, it’s that Bond never goes down without a fight, so grabe your popcorn and a martini and watch how the battle unfolds.
