Tipped to be the “best James Bond film yet”, No Time to Die has been in production for several years, with the majority of filming taking place between April and October of 2019. It will be the first Bond film to be released by Universal Pictures, after Columbia Pictures’ contract ran out in 2015.
It had been scheduled for release in cinemas around the world in April 2020; but it was announced in early March that the film would be delayed until later this year. It’s now expected that No Time to Die will hit screens in November, with the UK premiere taking place on November 12th, and the launch in the US taking place on the 25th.
It comes in the wake of the World Health Organisation and other bodies advising people against large gatherings. Such a move could result in people staying away from cinemas around the world, which would negatively affect the box office takings for the film.
Box Office Takings Down
Revenues in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Italy, where the strictest restrictions are currently enacted, have resulted in a 50% drop in revenues for theatres. The last few films have grossed more than $50 million in their opening weekend: Quantum of Solace generated $67.5 million, Spectre raised $70 million, and Skyfall sold $88 million’s worth of tickets.
With the vast majority of a movie’s revenue being generated in the first few days and weeks after its release, it’s important for movie studios to maximise the impact of their launches. A 50% cut in takings could see No Time to Die lose as much as $40 million in just two days, a hit that Universal Pictures won’t want for its first Bond title.
Pushing the release back will only serve to increase anticipation for the film, and could see higher opening weekend takings as a result.
End of an Era
No Time to Die will be the last Bond film that stars Daniel Craig. He made his debut as 007 back in 2006 in a remake of Casino Royale, the first Ian Fleming story to feature the character. In it, Bond is on his first-ever mission for MI6 and ends up playing a high stakes game of Texas Hold’em, the most common variant of the game of poker.
It is not yet clear who will replace him in future films, although actors like James Norton, Sam Heughan, Tom Hiddleston, Richard Madden, and Michael Fassbender are all getting good odds for the role.
No Time to Die
The plot of the latest Bond film sees 007 out of active service, having left MI6. However, an old friend who works for the CIA approaches him for help. This results in Bond chasing a villain, armed with new technology, around the world. While he has no interest in returning to his role as a spy, he’s left with no choice, as inaction would result in “dire consequences” for the people closest to him.
It will be a marathon of a watch, with a running time of 2 hours and 43 minutes. This makes it the longest ever film in the franchise’s 58 year history.
The title song “No Time To Die” has been sung by Billie Eilish; putting her in the company of Paul McCartney, Adele, and Shirley Bassey. It was released in mid-February, ahead of the originally planned April release.
It reached number 1 in the UK and Irish Singles Charts. Eilish made history with this, as she is now the first artist born in the 21st century to achieve a UK number 1. She is also the first female artist to top the chart with a Bond theme song, and only the second ever artist to do so.
It’s anticipated that No Time to Die will be one the best Bond films in recent history. With Daniel Craig signing off, Cary Joji Fukunaga stepping in as director, and Universal Pictures taking the reins; everyone involved will be wanting the film to be a huge commercial and critical success.
