'No Time To Die' Delayed Once Again, Moving To April 2021

Just a day ago, the new music video for Billie Eilish’sNo Time to Die” theme song was released. At the time, I said that it seemed as if the studio was moving full speed ahead on releasing the latest James Bond film on its intended date in November. Well, damn, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

READ MORE: ‘No Time To Die’ Music Video: Billie Eilish’s Video Showcases Footage From The Upcoming Bond Film

According to the filmmakers, “No Time to Die” is being delayed yet again. This time, the film is scheduled to arrive on April 2, 2021. If that date actually sticks, then we’re looking at a full year delay for Daniel Craig’s Bond swansong after its original date earlier this year was pushed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And as you might suspect, the delay has everything to do with the current state of the theatrical release business. That is to say, the fact that no one is making real money in theaters right now.

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Again, this is pretty shocking, only because it seemed that the studio wasn’t going to waste yet another round of marketing money by delaying the film yet again. When the first delay happened during the spring, reports claimed that MGM was losing tens of millions of dollars with the decision to delay because of the money spent on marketing. This time, the same sort of marketing happened, not just with the music video but also with more interviews and new trailers and TV spots. But ultimately, if the film can’t be released and guarantee a profit, there’s really no reason for the studio to move ahead.

Unfortunately, the current business being done at US theaters just can’t keep up with what studios need to release blockbusters. We’ve seen Warner Bros. take a big hit with Christopher Nolan’sTenet,” as the film limps its way to $41 million in North America and not even $300 million worldwide. Those are just not numbers that give confidence to studios that are expecting these films to earn close to $1 billion worldwide. Sure, Disney, Universal, and WB can probably afford to take a hit with one blockbuster, but a company like MGM needs “No Time to Die” to do well and can’t afford to take a loss of that magnitude.

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Ultimately, while this is unfortunate news for fans that have already been waiting months for the film after the first delay, this is just yet more absolutely terrible news for theater owners, with many already starting to restrict business hours and shut down entire theaters due to the lack of business. While “Tenet” is bringing some people to indoor theaters, the lack of another major film to follow it up is just slowing down any sort of momentum. And thus, the theatrical release business is in true dire straits. All eyes are on Disney’s upcoming Pixar film, “Soul,” in November and WB’s “Wonder Woman 1984” and “Dune” in December. Because if those films move…theaters are in serious trouble.