If the reports are to be believed, the more difficult task has proven to be protecting his film from a very lifelike virus.
Craig’s final appearance as James Bond was the most successful Hollywood film of the year. After grossing more than $730 million at the global box office, it is the highest-grossing film of the coronavirus pandemic, posing an existential threat to the industry by closing cinemas for months and months, and clear release schedule.
However, the movie coming out in September may still be a loss, according to Variety magazine.
It cites industry insiders who claim the film – which has a reported budget of more than $250 million – could lose up to $100 million in theaters, thanks in part to advertising costs and the cost of the film. delayed 17 months due to pandemic.
Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), the studio behind the film, fiercely disputed the report. It shows the film’s success in surpassing the racing action blockbuster F9 to become Hollywood’s top box-office hit this year.
The studio said: “Unknown and uninformed sources that the film will lose money are completely baseless and, more simply, untrue.”
MGM praised the film’s popularity with viewers at home through on-demand platforms and said the film “will earn money for MGM, both as an individual title and as a part of the franchise.” of MGM’s incredible library”.
Co-starring Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas and Léa Seydoux, as well as Rami Malek as the biological weapon-wielding super-assassin Lyutsifer Safin, No Time To Die was hailed by critics as a fitting farewell. suitable for Craig, who has played the role in five films.
It proved larger at the box office than his previous 007 films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, despite falling short of the standards set by Skyfall and Specter.
There’s even been speculation about the film being broken speaking to the devastating impact the pandemic has had on Hollywood. As Covid-19 swept through the world, the film industry was among the hardest hit.
Movie theaters kept closed for months, and major studios scrambled to react, most – including MGM with No Time To Die – delaying their films in a desperate attempt to get ahead. through the health crisis.
However, the coronavirus has proven to have formidable staying power. While movie theaters have reopened and box office receipts have rebounded, movies are still facing a hostile environment, with even Marvel superhero movies not immune.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings and the star-studded Eternals superhero movie could also lose money for Disney.
The Last Duel, a well-reviewed historical epic featuring the star power of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, has been described as a “bomb” by The Hollywood Reporter. However, instead of the pandemic, director Sir Ridley Scott blamed the millennials for using mobile phones for the film’s underperformance.
No Time To Die’s alleged struggles are indicative of a rapidly changing industry. While streaming is already on its way to conquering Hollywood, the pandemic has accelerated its rise.
Netflix, which has a wealth of content and is independent of box office revenue, has been able to continue to feed the insatiable appetite of its vast global audience. However, many of its rivals have had to debate how long they can keep a blockbuster on shelves before it starts to look stale.
There are reports that MGM was considering selling the latest Bond film to a streaming giant during the darkest days of the pandemic. The studio has since been acquired by Amazon in an $8.45 billion deal, meaning future Bond films will arrive on the Prime Video streaming service.
