Unexpected James Bond Trademark Clash: British Scientist Takes on Amazon Over His Plastics Company Name

MOVE over, 007 – there’s a new Bond in town… and he’s got a License to FILL.

Plastics boss Phil Sutton, 55, has found himself at the centre of a real-life thriller after squaring up to streaming giant Amazon in a trademark tussle.

Phil Sutton has found himself at the centre of a real-life thriller after squaring up to streaming giant Amazon in a trademark tussle Daniel Craig as James Bond Credit: Alamy

Chartered scientist Phil, from the Wirral, owns the company “James Bond Ltd” and wants to launch a range of construction adhesive products.

But MGM Studios, which bought creative control of the Bond movie franchise for around £790m last year, are a little shaken…not stirred.

London Operations LLC, which serves as the new holding company of the James Bond intellectual property (IP), has moved to block Phil’s trademark, sparking a David versus Goliath battle.

But Phil, an innovator and founder of Cheshire based plastics firms Duraproducts, Econpro, and Polytag, isn’t backing down.

He said: “It makes a mockery of the trademark system that they think they can own the rights to everything.

“Why have the trademark classification system if a brand can come along and say, ‘well, we’re James Bond, and we operate in film and cinema’, you can’t just own the lot.

“I operate in the construction product sector and have done for 25 years and I want to bring my products out into the market.

“It doesn’t seem right that I can own the business, and then, just because of a namesake, I can’t use it.”

He added: “I’m absolutely in this all the way.”

Phil has enlisted the services of Liverpool barrister Francis McEntegart, of MC Legal, who specialises in intellectual property law.

And he believes he can win the day.

Phil has owned James Bond Ltd since 2012 and insists he’s not cashing in on the 007 movie franchise.

He claims his company title is a combination of the Christian name of Dr James Franklin Hyde, a renowned American chemist who invented silicone, and the term bond, which is another word for adhesive.

Phil said his Bond firm was dormant until 2019.

“We activated in 2019 and then Covid came into play so it wasn’t the right time,” he said.

“Construction materials also became really expensive.

“But we’re at the stage now where we’re ready to bring this to market.”

More recently Phil has sought to protect his company with a trademark.

“Everything I’ve ever done with my businesses, I’ve always followed the intellectual property route. It’s something we’ve done for 25 years,” he explained.

“We totally and utterly respect James Bond’s title to film and books and literature and things like that. But we’re not interested in that. “We have another line of products that we want to develop, which we don’t think are associated”

Phil’s business will sell James Bond adhesives, sealants, and varnishes -hardly the stuff of international espionage.

He added that his firm also has no plans to “pass off” his products as 007 rip offs either.

The only secret agent here is super-strong silicone.

Phil said: “There is no crossover whatsoever… I respect James Bond’s copyrights. “That’s the delineation. I recognise what they do, and I’m doing something different.“

Anyone who buys a product, they can’t say, ‘oh look, it’s got tongue-in cheek stuff’, no, we can’t do that. That is passing off.”

Since taking charge over the Bond franchise, and movie titles linked to 007.

Attempts are being made to trademark terms such as “Bond Girl”, “Shaken not stirred”, “007” and “James Bond.”

Insiders say the move will bank them millions, especially when the new Bond film is out in two years.

But many firms won’t give in easily.

A bid to claim exclusive rights over the name “Moneypenny”, secretary to MI6 chief “M”, was challenged by UK phone answering service Moneypenny Ltd.

will not be released for another two years — making it the longest gap between 007 movies in their 64-year history.

Amazon executives have earmarked spring 2028 for the spy’s return, meaning fans will have waited for seven years.

DIRTY DOGS TOP JEZZA

Jeremy Clarkson and girlfriend Lisa Hogan to avert their eyes as their dogs get into the swing of things

LOOKS like spring has certainly sprung down on , forcing and girlfriend to avert their eyes as their dogs get into the swing of things.

Either that or they’ve barely noticed the carnal canine activities, as they’ve got more seismic things to consider on the new series of Clarkson’s Farm.

The fifth outing returns on Prime Video on June 3, with four episodes dropping, another two will be released a week later, then on June 17 we’ll get the last two episodes in the season.

There are plenty of events to cram in too, with Jezza stricken by a health scare – but ignoring doctor’s orders to take it easy because he has way too much to do.

That includes taking delivery of a new flock of sheep as well as taking farm manager on his first trip abroad to buy some hi-tech equipment from Holland.

This will be epic.

USE THE FORK, JAMIE

Star Wars super fan Jamie Oliver teams up with Jon Favreau, Pedro Pascal and Grogu for cook-a-long special to celebrate Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

THE fork is strong with this one…

Telly chef and superfan got to live out a childhood dream and get up close to the stars of the latest incarnation of The Galaxy.

Teaming up with the stars of The Mandalorian, he cooked up a stormtrooper with – and favourite Grogu.

The dream team whipped up a steak sandwich, which they named after the baby Yoda lookalike.

Jamie said: “My earliest Star Wars memory is sitting on the floor with an array of Star Wars figures around me, including the Millennium Falcon, and it just felt like the coolest, most wonderful, fantastical world.

“I reckon I was about six years old at the time. Star Wars was probably one of the first films that really turned itself into a brand and allowed you to relive the film through play. As a kid, that was just amazing.

“And I’m so happy there is a new Star Wars movie to watch in cinemas with my kids.

“Bringing this to life with Jon and Pedro – and of course Grogu – was incredibly special.

“I got to chat Star Wars, meet Grogu and cook with some of my heroes! Amazing.”

• STAR WARS: The Mandalorian and Grogu will be out in cinemas on Friday.

THE RHS Chelsea Flower Show will link up with 12 content creators to deliver alternative coverage this year in a bid to reach a younger audience.

They will bring fresh perspectives on gardening and nature.

Dwayne Black and Rob Slade feature. Watch on BBC One and BBC Two.

DANNY’S NOT FOR FOOLS

Danny Dyer and Emily Atack’s new gameshow Nobody’s Fool sounds like telly goldCredit: Refer to source

and new gameshow Nobody’s Fool sounds like telly gold.

But how would the pair actually fare in the Rivals-style house as contestants?

“I’d lose my nut,” admitted Danny, faced with answering a question to get your morning coffee.

“Especially first thing in the morning when you just want a coffee to start your day and it’s asking you to solve Pythagoras.”

A game based on bluffing, how would Danny do?

“I have the kind of cheeky face where everyone assumes I’m lying,” he said.
Emily reckons she’d do better than her counterpart.

“I’m an amazing observer,” she said. “I can read people so well. But I make it difficult for people to read me.”

The series starts Saturday, 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Taste test

JLS star JB Gill will appear on Cooking With The Stars Credit: Splash

and star JB Gill are the final two stars swapping glitz and glam for pots and pans on .

The boyband lad is the latest big name to sign up for ITV’s glitzy kitchen show, which is hosted by .

And he’ll be hotly tipped as a former MasterChef contestant and has also fronted Cooking With The Gills, a family show on Channel 5’s Milkshake.

Meanwhile Birds of a Feather legend Lesley has also appeared on MasterChef – and Celebrity Come Dine With Me.

They join Karen Hauer, Seann Walsh, Caroline Quentin, Zara McDermott and Harry Akines-Aryeetey aka Nitro on the line-up.

Also featuring are March Charnock, Joey Essex, Bez, Scarlett Moffatt and Laura Kenny.

Cooking With The Stars sees famous faces paired with a professional chef mentor, who trains them to restaurant standard.

The celebrities battle it out to avoid elimination through dramatic blind taste tests.

DOCTOR Who star Ncuti Gatwa is perplexed by Billie Piper’s regeneration.

He closed Sky’s Saturday Night Live UK show with a bang, saying: “Since I regenerated into Billie Piper – I don’t understand it either – I still love Doctor Who and I got to meet so many crazy characters.”

SALLY’S UP FOR MURDER

Sally Lindsay says she’s begging Richard Osman for a starring role in the Netflix film for her and best friend Suranne Jones Credit: Getty

The Thursday Murder Club film has an array of British stars – with two more desperate to join.

Sally Lindsay says she’s begging the former Pointless host for a starring role in the Netflix film for her and best friend Suranne Jones.

“I love the character Joyce,” she said of Celia Imrie’s character in the adaptation, on her A Night In With Sally Lindsay podcast.

With hopes for Suranne to replace Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth, Sally said:

“When I spoke to Richard, I said one of my best friends is Suranne Jones, and I said, ‘In 20 years time, can we play Joyce and Liz, please?’ He went, ‘Well, I’ll look again, that’d be great.’ I said we’ll be absolutely bang on by then.”