The film, starring Daniel Craig as the elegant spy, was set to release on April 2nd. But MGM announced Thursday that it would be pushing the action movie on October 8th.
This is the third time the film has been delayed since the coronavirus pandemic began. It was originally scheduled to open in US theaters on April 10, 2020.
The changing schedule of “No Time to Die” is a symbol of the impact of the pandemic on Hollywood. The 25th film in the Bond series was the first major film to be delayed due to the pandemic, but it was far from the last.
Other films, such as Warner Bros. “Wonder Woman 1984” made a hybrid release that opened in theaters and came out on HBO Max the same day. Some movies like Pixar’s “Soul” and Disney’s “Mulan” have skipped American theaters by opting to debut in streaming.
The delay of “No Time to Die” is a huge blow for theater owners who are desperate to get the audience back. Still, changing the film to a later date is a strong signal that it could be months before things return to normal in cinema.
Sony also said Thursday that “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” the sequel to the popular Ghostbusters franchise, would move from June 6 to November 11.
Now the theater owners, whose businesses have been shattered by the outbreak, and the rest of Hollywood are looking at whether a new batch of box offices will be postponed in the coming weeks.
The next big movies on the calendar are “Black Widow,” which is scheduled for May 7, and “F9,” which is scheduled for May 28.