No Time to Die: James Bond film release pushed back for third time
The release of the latest James Bond film has been pushed back for a third time as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
No Time to Die had already been pushed back twice, and will now not hit screens until 8 October, the film’s producers announced today.
The Bond blockbuster was originally due to be released in April 2020 but was delayed until November due to the outbreak of Covid-19. It was then pushed back to April 2021.
The latest delay reflects the continued impact of the pandemic on the film industry, as ongoing global restrictions have prompted cinema closures and decimated audiences.
But the decision will be met with further frustration by cinema chains, who are relying on new releases to win back customers.
Shortly after No Time to Die was delayed for the second time, Cineworld, the UK’s largest cinema chain, announced it was shutting all sites, putting 5,500 jobs at risk.
Earlier this week a host of top directors including Danny Boyle and Steve McQueen urged the government to provide further support for UK cinemas, warning they were “on the edge of an abyss”.
The latest Bond setback has sparked delays to a number of other major film releases, with Sony pushing back titles including Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Peter Rabbit 2. Universal has also delayed the release of Tom Hanks sci-fi drama Bios.
The troubles over No Time to Die, which will be the 25th instalment of the spy franchise, sparked reports the film could be launched on a streaming service.
However, producer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) hit back at reports it had held talks with Netflix, Amazon and Apple, saying the film was “not for sale”.
No Time to Die, which had a budget of roughly $250m, will star Daniel Craig in his final appearance as 007 alongside Lea Seydoux and Rami Malek.