As concerns related to the coronavirus (CORVID-19) continue to surge across the globe, writers for the MI6-HQ website — the largest Bond fan blog and contributors to several books related to the film, including the official MI6 Confidential magazine — have penned an open letter to NO TIME TO DIE producers Eon and distributors MGM and Universal, to delay the movie's release until the summer.
Co-written by James Page, co-founder of the MI6 website, and David Leigh, founder of the James Bond Dossier, the letter celebrates the decision to cancel the film's China, South Korea and Japan publicity tours, in addition to voicing concerns about how the April 10 release of NO TIME TO DIE could lead to underwhelming box office returns as well as the endangerment of fans who show up to crowded screenings.
The letter also notes that several nations have already begun the closing of major monuments, have canceled tentpole film productions, and have halted long-scheduled public gatherings, all in the interest of containing the spread of coronavirus. These areas include Italy, France, Switzerland, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea – all of which are responsible for 38 percent of the worldwide gross for SPECTRE, the previous Bond installment from director Sam Mendes.
“With a month to go before No Time to Die opens worldwide, community spread of the virus is likely to be peaking in the United States,” the letter states. “Today, Washington declared a state of emergency. There is a significant chance that cinemas will be closed, or their attendance severely reduced, by early April. Even if there are no legal restrictions on cinemas being open, to quote M in Skyfall, 'How safe do you feel?'"
When it comes to the world premiere for NO TIME TO DIE, the letter suggests that such an event could lead to the spread of coronavirus, as it would take only a single attendee to infect those who've gathered for the event.
“Just one person, who may not even show symptoms, could infect the rest of the audience. This is not the type of publicity anyone wants,” the letter added.
Toward the end of the letter, M16-HQ suggests releasing the film this summer, during a time when experts have predicted that the epidemic will have peaked and will be more manageable.
“It’s just a movie. The health and well-being of fans around the world, and their families, is more important,” the letter reads. “We have all waited over four years for this film. Another few months will not damage the quality of the film and only help the box office for Daniel Craig’s final hurrah.”
Universal, MGM and Eon have yet to respond to the letter, though I would imagine that they'll be weighing their options very carefully in the days to come.
To read the letter in full, please visit the M16-HQ blog.
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