Maybe the real villain of No Time To Die is its very existence. After suffering numerous delays due to losing Danny Boyle (probably for the best, if we’re being honest) and Daniel Craig’s busted ankle, the additional script rewrites, an on-set explosion, and maybe some other stuff we’re forgetting but have no doubt covered here, the release of the 25th James Bond film has now been pushed all the way back to November—almost like a punchline to the entire production. No Time To Die was originally scheduled to hit theaters in the U.S. on April 10. The announcement was made via the official James Bond Twitter account, which cites “careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace” as the reason for the delay:
No Time To Die, which also stars Rami Malek, Jeffrey Wright, and Lashana Lynch, will now premiere on November 12 in the U.K. before hitting U.S. theaters on November 25. The latest installment of the Bond franchise is directed by Cary Fukunaga and features a theme song performed by Billie Eilish, who debuted the single on February 13.
The official statement regarding the film’s delay is somewhat (and probably intentionally) vague, though major theater chains have been expected to suffer a loss in revenue this year with no new Star Wars or Avengers sequels hitting screens in 2020. There are also ongoing concerns about the coronavirus, or COVID-19, which have led to the cancellation of premieres, festivals, and conventions; over the past week, numerous brands and companies have pulled out of this year’s SXSW.