Box Office: No Time To Die makes slow debut revenue

“No Time to Die,” the latest installment in the James Bond franchise, debuted to $56 million from 4,407 theaters at the domestic box office, a result that falls somewhat short of expectations.

The numbers signal that even one of the most storied brands in film history is still being forced to contend with a movie-going landscape that has been dramatically altered by the pandemic.

Heading into the weekend, “No Time to Die” was projected to make $60 million to $70 million in its first three days of release. Though not a disaster, the film’s final weekend total was expected to be higher because it received positive reviews and represented Daniel Craig’s final outing as the stylish secret agent.

Critics suggest that in light of the ongoing pandemic, assessing initial box office results for “No Time to Die” isn’t as clear-cut. For some movies, especially during a public health crisis, an opening weekend of $56 million would be cause for great jubilation.

But “No Time to Die” is no ordinary film. It carries a massive $250 million production budget, to say nothing of the more than $100 million marketing spend. Add in the tens of millions it cost to delay “No Time to Die,” which was supposed to premiere in April of 2020 before the pandemic altered those plans, and box office experts estimate that, conservatively, “No Time to Die” needs to gross at least $800 million at the global box office to make money in its theatrical window.

For Bond, the franchise has numerous marketing partners and ancillary tie-ins, with Rolex, Aston Martin and more, that could help cushion potential losses, Variety reported.

Ticket sales at the international box office will be a huge factor in terms of profitability for “No Time to Die.” So far, audiences have been turning out overseas, where it has already made an impressive $145 million.

Globally, the film has collected $313 million. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (“True Detective”) and co-starring Lea Seydoux, Rami Malek and Ana de Armas, the 007 adventure has opened in most major markets except for China (set for Oct. 29), a popular territory for all things Bond.

Yahoo/Hauwa Abu