007 is the latest casualty of the coronavirus after the release of his latest outing has been pushed back to November 2020.
No Time To Die, which was due to be released in the UK on April 3, has been delayed until November 12 2020 amid fears that it could intensify the spread of coronavirus.
There are currently 87 reported cases of the COVID-19 virus within the UK, 80 of which are in England, three in Scotland, three in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.
The MI6 agent’s official Twitter account (@007) tweeted tonight, stating that the decision was made “after careful consideration and thorough examination of the global theatrical marketplace” by the Universal and MGM Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
James Bond films have always acted as key tent-pole releases for the film industry on a global scale, generating an unparalleled level of hype for a franchise that’s on its 25th instalment.
2015’s Spectre grossed £41.3m on its opening weekend (a UK box-office record at the time), and who’s to say No Time To Die wouldn’t perform just as well?
MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. pic.twitter.com/a9h1RP5OKd
— James Bond (@007) March 4, 2020
What with over 750 cinemas operating nationwide, a film with this much power to pull audiences into the theatres could prove catastrophic for the NHS and other services currently working towards the containment of the virus.
The newest Bond release isn’t the first cultural staple to be threatened by the virus, as the BBC reported yesterday that Japan’s Olympic minister, Seiko Hashimoto, said that Tokyo 2020 could be postponed until the end of the year.
It seems that no industry, country or person can escape the indirect effects of the epidemic. For information on the COVID-19 virus and how you can help fight it, visit the NHS website.
