Hollywood Hit By Coronavirus: James Bond Movie Delayed 7 Months Due To Global Box Office Slump

The first major Hollywood film release has been delayed worldwide due to the impact of coronavirus. Announced abruptly on Wednesday, MGM and Eon Productions confirmed on Twitter that the decision had been made to delay “No Time to Die,” the 25th entry in the storied James Bond franchise. T

he film's opening has been moved from April to November, when it is hoped that the global box office will be back at full strength.

“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,” the tweet stated.

“No Time to Die,” directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the iconic spy, was scheduled to release in the U.K. and elsewhere on April 3, and in the U.S. on April 10. Now, the anticipated blockbuster will debut in the U.K. on Nov. 12 and in the U.S. on Nov. 25. Further worldwide release dates will be announced later.

The impact of Covid-19, also known as coronavirus, on the global box office has been well-documented to this point.

China, one of the biggest overseas markets for Hollywood films, has shuttered its movie theater infrastructure while the outbreak is handled, resulting in poor overseas returns for movies like “Birds of Prey.”

Some studios have moved to delay the Chinese releases of certain blockbuster films, like “Sonic the Hedgehog,” Pixar’s “Onward,” and “Dolittle,” in order to maximize returns at a later date.

With a rumored $250 million budget, “No Time to Die” will need to have a strong worldwide box office to turn a profit and keep the legendary series financially viable. This is especially true with the impending departure of franchise stalwart, Craig, who has played the rugged MI-6 agent since 2006’s “Casino Royale.”

To date, his 007 films have made a combined $3.2 billion worldwide.