The release of the new James Bond film, No Time to Die, has been pushed back from April to November 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig in his final turn as 007, No Time to Die had been due out in the UK on April 2nd and in the US on April 10th. However, “after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace,” the film will now arrive in the UK on November 12th and in the US on November 25th.
Countries across the world have sought to contain the spread of the coronavirus by limiting large public gatherings. Already, China has closed 70,000 theaters for the foreseeable future, leading to postponement of films like Doolittle, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Onward in Asia. As the virus has spread, countries including South Korea and Italy have also begun to shut down movie theaters.
These measures already have had a dramatic impact on the global box office. Chinese ticket sales from January 24 to February 23 this year were a paltry $4.2 million, compared to $1.76 billion over the same period in 2019. And with the spread of the virus showing no signs of slowing, some industry analysts predict the global box office could stand to lose over $5 billion by the time it’s all said and done.
Presumambly, No Time to Die won’t be the only tentpole film pushing back its release due to the coronavirus. We’ll obviously keep you updated.
MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. pic.twitter.com/a9h1RP5OKd
— James Bond (@007) March 4, 2020
New James Bond Film, No Time to Die, Delayed Due to Coronavirus
Alex Young
