James Bond 'No Time to Die' China premiere event canceled amid coronavirus concerns
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The Chinese premier event for the new James Bond film, “No Time to Die,” has been canceled along with a press tour for the cast due to ongoing issues with the coronavirus.
A premiere screening set for April in Beijing has been called off as well as the subsequent press tour around China in light of the virus’ ongoing pervasiveness in the country. It's unclear at this time if the film's release will be impacted.
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According to Deadline, cinemas across China, which happens to be the world’s second-largest box office market, have been shuttered indefinitely in an effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading.
Indiewire reports that the economic toll of the theater closures is already starting to show. For reference, the previous James Bond movie, “Spectre,” earned the highest box office numbers in China, grossing $83.51 million in 2015. That will likely not be the case for “No Time To Die” if theaters remain closed.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that last month’s Lunar New Year Holiday weekend saw the box office gross just $2 million, a significant drop compared to last year at the same time when the box office exceeded $507 million.
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Meanwhile, a report from the Sunday Times suggests that even if conditions with China and the coronavirus get better in the coming weeks, Daniel Craig and the film’s other stars will likely not have enough time to get cleared for travel to China anyway.
At least five people have died outside of mainland China from the virus. In total, more than 70,500 people in China have been infected with COVID-19 and 1,770 have died on the mainland, Chinese officials said.
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“No Time To Die” marks the 25th entry in the “Bond” franchise and will be Craig’s last outing as the famed secret agent character. So far, a replacement Bond has not been selected.
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According to the film’s trailer, the latest movie picks up with Bond living a peaceful life in Jamaica after leaving active service. However, a visit from his CIA friend, Felix Leiter, brings him back into the life of a secret agent for some stunning heroics.
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Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.