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The release of the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, would do well to release on streaming rather than wait for a theatrical release. From the earliest days of the film’s production, fans have been eager to see just what direction MGM would take this latest instalment in. Unfortunately, to date there’s been nothing but hurdles and delays getting No Time to Die on course. As MGM continues to wait for the perfect time to release the film, fans are becoming increasingly impatient for the return of Bond.
Initially, the biggest problem that MGM had to sort out was whether or not Daniel Craig was willing to return as 007. After 2015’s Spectre, Craig had stated that he’d sooner slash his wrists than do another Bond film. This prompted many to predict that the days of Craig as Bond were at an end and much debate ensued over who was a worthy successor. Ultimately, Craig signed on for one last mission as James Bond. As it turned out, however, solving who would star as Bond wasn’t the only problem on the horizon. Finding the right director proved a significant challenge, getting the script just right created issues, and then, just when everything finally appeared to be settled and production went ahead, COVID-19 hit.
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Though No Time to Die had completed production by the time the pandemic really tightened its global grasp, the issue of a theatrical release has become increasingly problematic. Cinemas have been having a very difficult time either bringing in audiences or staying open at all. Industry experts and studios alike had hoped that some big name releases this autumn would kickstart a desire for people to get back in theatres, but these have largely failed to achieve their desired results. In light of this, more and more films are forgoing the theatrical experience in order to take the safer (though arguably less profitable) route of a streaming release. No Time to Die has resisted this model so far, but this should no longer be the case.
Most recently, the film’s release date was pushed back to April 2021. The move caused considerable panic for cinemas, as the November release date was hoped to be another chance to save the dying entertainment industry. But at this point, No Time to Die is fighting a losing battle. The reality of the situation is that there’s a good chance the coronavirus will still be an issue in April of 2021, and in order to promote the film yet again, MGM is going to have to spend a substantial amount of money. Back in February of this year, No Time to Die’s theme song was released by Billie Eilish, creating much hype around the upcoming film. By next April, the extra push that the theme song traditionally offers a Bond release will be long gone, meaning MGM will have one less weapon in its arsenal. The marketing budget has largely been used up, and without the likes of new trailers or promotions, all that the future seems to offer at this point is more money spent on the part of MGM.
Previous rumours have suggested that MGM is on the verge of giving in and selling the film to a streaming platform. This seems to be the best move, but it has recently come to light that no such deal will occur. MGM’s insistence on receiving at least $600 million for the rights, a number that is far beyond what any streaming service is willing to pay, has made the move impossible. It appears that MGM is refusing to acknowledge the reality that they currently find themselves in. Worse still, even if a theatrical release arrives on schedule, it’s hard to believe at this point that it will offer the success that MGM is expecting. No Time to Die needs to bring this next instalment of the Bond saga to the public and begin actualising their plans for a new era of 007. Without a streaming release, it looks as though the film (and the franchise) will continue to be at the mercy of an unpredictable pandemic.
- No Time to Die/James Bond 25 (2021)Release date: Apr 02, 2021
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