In what should not be a shocker, we are hearing that MGM/Eon’s No Time to Die is bound to move from its Easter weekend release of April 2 to some time in the fall, as the world waits for this pandemic to come under control. Several sources inform us this morning. Note, the UK, is a key market in No Time to Die‘s rollout, and they’re facing a similar situation as the U.S.: They don’t know exactly when exhibition will be fully back up and running.
The leakage on the Cary Joji Fukunaga-directed film started yesterday on the Dutch site BN DeStem, in which Dutch exhibitor Carlo Lambregts revealed that he heard No Time to Die was heading from its Easter weekend date to November. We heard separately this morning that 007 promotional partners have already been given a heads up that the final Daniel Craig movie is bound to move to autumn. No definite release date has been set yet, despite Lambregts spilling the beans.
MGM, which has domestic on No Time to Die, and Universal, which is handling foreign, had no comment when reached.
MGM screened the movie for streamers, with a reported asking price of $600M, but none of them were willing to pony up even half of that. The pic is a juggernaut to MGM’s financial sustainability, and the studio is adamant about protecting the film’s global theatrical window, given the riches that can rain down from the final Craig 007 pic.
The last Bond film Spectre, grossed $880.6M in 2015, while Skyfall, released in 2012 repped the highest 007 pic of all time with $1.1 billion. Those outside of MGM who’ve seen the movie say it’s amazing, and well worth the wait.