Release of new James Bond film No Time To Die is pushed back from April to November because of coronavirus outbreak
- The 25th Bond adventure was originally scheduled to be released on March 31
- But now it will not be released until November following ‘careful consideration’
- Earlier this week, die-hard 007 fans had begged MGM and Universal to delay it
The release date for No Time To Die has been pushed back from April to November following ‘careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace’, James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have announced.
The 25th Bond adventure was set to be released later this month with a rollout starting in Europe in London on March 31 before moving to North America until April 10.
But now it will be released in the UK on November 12 with worldwide release dates to follow, including the US launch on November 25, 2020.
It comes amid growing concerns over the threat of deadly coronavirus which has infected more than 92,000 worldwide and killed 3,110 globally, according to the World Health Organisation.
Concerns: Daniel Craig’s James Bond swansong No Time To Die is due out in early April but some fans asked the studios on Monday to delay the release over coronavirus fears
Earlier this week, die-hard 007 fans begged MGM and Universal to delay the release of the sequel in an open letter after an Asian promotional tour for the 25th installment was cancelled.
Fan website MI6-HQ posted an open letter in which it said it was time for MGM and Universal ‘to put public health above marketing release schedules and the cost of canceling publicity events’.
The situation in China has already prompted the studios to move the release of the film in Hong Kong to April 30 and to cancel the film’s publicity tours in China, South Korea and Japan.
However, the world premiere for No Time To Die was still scheduled to take place in London at the Royal Albert Hall on March 31 – until this delay.
Crisis: The situation in China has already prompted the studios to push back release of the film in Hong Kong to April 30 and to cancel publicity tours in China, South Korea and Japan. Pictured, a woman wearing a mask walks past a No Time To Die poster in Bangkok last week
The fan website MI6-HQ posted an open letter in which it said it was time for MGM and Universal ‘to put public health above marketing release schedules and the cost of canceling publicity events’
The situation in the Far East has prompted estimates that box office takings could be hit by up to tens of millions of pounds globally. It comes after China was the highest grossing foreign country for the previous Bond film, Spectre.
The fan website has suggested the release be pushed back to the summer amid fears that the spread of coronavirus might lead to the closure of cinemas or keep people from wanting to go to see the film at movie theatres.
‘With a month to go before ‘No Time To Die’ opens worldwide, community spread of the virus is likely to be peaking in the United States,’ the open letter said.
‘There is a significant chance that cinemas will be closed, or their attendance severely reduced, by early April. Even if there are no legal restrictions on cinemas being open, to quote M in Skyfall, ‘how safe do you feel?”
Want release pushed to summer: The letter concluded: ‘It’s just a movie. The health and well-being of fans around the world, and their families, is more important’
Sneak peek: Daniel Craig and Lashana Lynch looked stoic as they watched an action-packed scene with director Cary Fukunaga in BTS snap from No Time To Die, that was shared on Friday
The world premiere screening is set for London’s Royal Albert Hall which has a capacity of more than 5,000, the limit affected countries are now banning for public gatherings.
‘Just one person, who may not even show symptoms, could infect the rest of the audience. This is not the type of publicity anyone wants,’ the MI6-HQ letter stated.
‘The UK and US outbreaks are in their early stages, but if they follow the predictable pattern of other developed countries, the situation by late March and early April will not be conducive to the box-office.’
The letter concluded: ‘It’s just a movie. The health and well-being of fans around the world, and their families, is more important.’
‘We have all waited over 4 years for this film. Another few months will not damage the quality of the film and only help the box-office for Daniel Craig’s final hurrah.’