Those involved in the James Bond franchise have made it very clear – there’s zero chance of the film going straight to streaming platforms.
Now, the Mail Online today is reporting that the film’s delay from April to November this year may not be enough and the film could slip into 2021.
A source tells the paper: “If it has to wait till next year then so be it. There are hundreds of millions of dollars involved here. Release it when audiences feel safe to return. But it’s a nerve-racking call.”
MGM has already reportedly lost between $30-50 million in marketing expenses due to the delay on top of it already being the most expensive film in the series to date with production budget of around $250 million.
The fifth and final outing for Daniel Craig in the Bond role was the first major blockbuster to change release dates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The seven month delay was seen as extreme at the time but now seems quaint as countless films and TV shows have been pushed back with many of them holding off for up to a year.
Also, unlike some other franchises, the Bond franchise relies very heavily on overseas revenue and so holding off until most of the world is not only back to normality seems understandable.
