LOS ANGELES (US) – The global release of the new James Bond movie “No Time to Die” which was slated for release in April 2020 before being rescheduled to November 2020 and then April 2021, has yet again been postponed to October.
The new release date has been set for Oct. 8, according to an announcement on the James Bond website and Twitter feed.
The movie from MGM and Comcast Corp’s Universal Pictures, which cost an estimated $200 million to produce will be actor Daniel Craig’s last outing as agent 007.
Cinema owners were hoping “No Time to Die” would kick off a rebound in moviegoing. The pandemic hurt independent theaters and big chains including AMC Entertainment, Cineworld Plc and Cinemark Holdings Inc. Moreover, it devastated the film business in 2020, and ticket sales in the United States and Canada sunk 80%.
With the virus still rampant in many areas, including in the key Los Angeles market, Hollywood studios seem reluctant to send their biggest films to theaters.
Many cinemas continue to remain closed, and ones that are open enforce strict attendance limits to allow for social distancing.
The UK Cinema Association said the decision to delay the film’s release was “clearly disappointing … (but) at the same time not surprising”.
“Clearly – like the producers of the film – the UK’s cinema operators look forward when the time is right to ensuring that as many people as possible are able to enjoy this and other major titles on the big screen, their natural environment,” it said, calling for government support for the sector.
