'No Time To Die' release date delayed again from April 2 to October 8, 2021

The 25th entry in the long-standing James Bond saga No Time To Die has yet again been delayed from its previously scheduled April 2021 release date to October 8, 2021, according to a new statement by James Bond's 007 parent studio MGM. The film is Daniel Craig's fifth and final outing as the globe-trotting spy James Bond, after Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), and Spectre (2015). No Time To Die release date was originally scheduled in April 2020, but as the world gripped with the COVID-19 pandemic, MGM and Universal decided to reschedule it to November 2020. According to Deadline, the film was the first Hollywood tentpole to postpone its release in March of last year. 

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Read more| James Bond's 25th Film 'No Time To Die' Could Be Delayed From April 2021 Release Date

It's no surprise that the 25th James Bond film might be pushed forward further because even though there has been a steady decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in some parts, the film's major markets in countries such as the US, UK, Canada and other countries in Asia likewise are still seeing an increase in cases, likewise affecting cinemas across the globe. MGM is rolling out “No Time to Die” in North America, while Universal has international rights. The film has a budget of more than $200 million and it heavily relies on global ticket sales to make a profit. It is nearly impossible to regain profits when most movie theatres globally are shut, and some that are open have been operating at a reduced capacity, keeping social distancing regulations in check. The Bond franchise's Twitter "007" handle shared a poster from the movie and revealed the new release date. 

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According to Entertainment Online, the latest scheduling shift for “No Time to Die” may inspire rival studios to delay any movies still set for the first few months of the year. Moments after MGM postponed the Bond film, Universal announced that the studio’s Bob Odenkirk-led action thriller “Nobody” was moving from Feb. 26 to April 2 and Sony also rescheduled their films, “Peter Rabbit 2,” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Cinderella.” Deadline reported that MGM studios, which handles the film's release in domestic markets, offered the movie to online streamers with a staggering price tag of $600 million. However, online platforms couldn't afford to shell out the stated massive amount. 

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"No Time To Die" is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, who is well known for his 2015 Netflix film "Beasts of No Nation". The film marks Daniel Craig's last entry as the stylish suave spy James Bond. The No Time To Die plot follows James Bond who is recruited to rescue a kidnapped scientist but finds himself hot on the trail of a mysterious villain, who's armed with dangerous new technology. No Time To Die cast also includes Rami Malek as Bond’s adversary Safin, Lashana Lynch as a new ‘007 agent and Léa Seydoux returns as Bond’s love interest, Madeleine Swann. Ana de Armas, Billy Magnussen, are among the new cast entrants with Ben Whishaw (Q), Christoph Waltz (Ernst Stavro Blofeld), Ralph Fiennes (M), Jeffrey Wright (Felix Tanner), and Naomie Harris (Eve Moneypenny) reprising their roles from the previous Bond films.

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Promo Pic: A still from MGM and Universal Pictures' "No Time To Die"