Here we go yet again. While it’s yet to be officially announced, a fifth delay for Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie is now looking extremely likely. With the pandemic on-going, even the 2020 releases that moved to 2021 are probably going to have to move again, especially if they’re set to arrive in cinemas before the summer. Sony have already moved their Jared Leto Marvel movie Morbius to October from March.
And now a veteran studio executive has told The Hollywood Reporter: “I think everything substantive between now and Top Gun: Maverick in early July will move. It’s a mess.”
Of course, No Time To Die is currently set for an April 2, 2021 release, which mirrors a previous release date a year before.
But sources told the outlet that “not even that date will hold”, with MGM expected to move the new Bond move to October, November or December.
Traditionally, Bond movies released in late October/early November so presumably that would be the preference.
READ MORE: Next James Bond: Cillian Murphy odds slashed as Tom Hardy holds lead
After all, the previous release date for No Time To Die was set for November 2020.
However, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible 7 is currently sitting on November 19 and being a similar genre of movie would not be a blockbuster that Bond producers want Craig’s finale to go up against.
Hence that’s probably why October and December are likely other contenders.
On a positive note, considering the world is now in the process of being vaccinated, hopefully, a late 2021 release date for No Time To Die really will be when the new Bond movies releases.
Promoting his new book The Lost Adventures of James Bond, Edlitz spoke of the Bond movie writing process.
He told Express.co.uk: “Three-time Bond screenwriter Bruce Feirstein told me that Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson know where the dead ends are in the scripting stage. While Richard Maibaum, who wrote 13 Bond scripts, talked about the collaborative nature of writing a 007 film.
“The screenwriter said that he would sit in a room with producers Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, as well as the director, production designer and editor and everyone would pitch ideas.”
“Everyone I’ve spoken with said that the producers are collaborative and are welcoming of new ideas. However, they’ve been down this road so many times and they have a responsibility to protect the long-term interests of the franchise.”
Of course, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter John Hodge famously left Bond 25 over “creative differences”, although the author is in the dark on what went on behind-the-scenes with that particular lost Bond adventure.
Nevertheless, he added: “But the Daniel Craig Bond films took risks that to some would seem unfathomable years before.”
Edlitz said of where the 007 franchise could go next: “I think EON is clearly interested in experimenting and pushing the boundaries in what is expected in a Bond film.”
No Time To Die is set to release in cinemas on April 2, 2021, but a delay is now expected.
