, Columnist
James Bond and the Death of Cinema
The new "No Time to Die" delay shows the dependency of theater chains on blockbusters. At least the film isn't just being sent "Mulan"-style to streaming.
Screen another day.
Photographer: John Phillips/Getty Images EuropeThis article is for subscribers only.
A powerful figure somewhere in Los Angeles makes a ruthless choice that threatens the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Atlantic. It’s a scenario one could imagine working for a James Bond subplot.
In fairness, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s decision to delay the eagerly awaited release of the latest 007 movie — “No Time to Die” — by another five months is an understandable reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic’s still considerable grip on the U.S. and Europe. How many people are ready to brave a cinema right now?