I think $800 million is a high estimate, but there's no question that COVID really piled on the interest payments. That can't help. I bet the movie might eventually make $800M with all the ancillary moments (Pay TV, home video, streaming, etc.), but not for at least a year. In that sense, it's somewhat of a disappointment, but a long way from a bomb. Back in 1969-1970, OHMSS also had a downbeat ending and a long runtime, and it made much less than the previous films. While it was a hit -- cost $7M, made $82M -- the problem was that Thunderball cost $9M and had made $141M. And Goldfinger had cost $3 million and had made a whopping $125 million, which was incredible for that era. I think the COVID-caused release delay hurt them more than anything, because they lost the momentum of the previous film. The bigger concern is whether audiences have "moved on" and found more-modern heroes instead. I'll always watch the Bond films and I'm a big fan, but I can see where the under-35 crowd may not give a crap.
The article is there for anyone to read; I just highlighted the "break even" part; the $900M target to get out of the red during the theatrica run is reported on other sites too. A movie can make $400M worldlwide and be hugely popular, but if it cost $200M to make, it's no profitable. Success doesn't always means profit., eg this Potter movie that made almost $1billion but according to WB, lost $167M No doubts NTTD will add money thanks to streaming and physical media; heck I preordered a copy already, just because I saw a bad projection and don't know if I'll be able to see it again on the big screen. Amazon france says it's out on 31 december. There's also this fact limiting profits for the studio: Why MGM Considered Selling 'No Time to Die' to Netflix - Variety from the article: By the way, it seems that Spectre ($880M gross) too didn't make huge profits during its theatrical run ‘Spectre’ Will Profit Despite Falling Short of ‘Skyfall’ At Domestic Box Office – Deadline I highlighted a small part but it's an interesting article. At this point, it's well known the problem this film, but not only, every film had because of the pandemic. But, now, nobody's stopping moviegoers to pay and see it. I asked a couple friends of mine living in the USA how the film was performing in their locations and what the interest was, just to have some first hand experience. They all found moderately crowded theaters but I was told that, in their opinion, releasing it in the USA a full 7-10 days after europe meant that word of mouth spread fast and the ending was well known, and that probably alienated a portion of the audience. Now, I don't even watch trailers anymore if not after seeing a movie just to laugh at what they're giving away, but IIRC there was one for NTTD with a "everything that begins has to end" statement, or something similar. Matrix Revolutions inspiration aside, I think it was dumb. And I don't know why NTTD did not open worldwide the same day, or within days, like Avengers: Endgame did. When you have a shocking finale like that, you try to hide it as long as you can. Fellini once said "if everyone likes my movie, then I have a problem". I'm glad many enjoyed every aspect of the movie. I sure didn't and (the end aside), I feel that after Cuba the film progressively loses steam and probably I'm more annoyed by the subpar projection I attended. But after all EoN, Broccoli, Wilson and Craig and MGM got what they wanted from me: a ticket and a blu ray; I did my part to help the franchise going and, more importantly, to support theaters in these difficult times. One thing that should be praised about NTTD is the editing: 163 minutes that felt like 103. Give those guys the Oscar!
You can't have Marvel audiences seeing the Bond films, because they are different beasts. Marvel films are forgettable and interchangeable. You just go to the theater to pass some time, and most of the people watching them probably spend half the film on their phones, and can still follow the 'story'. Bond films are dense, very plotted and require attention (just look at how many people can't remember Safin motivations). When people leave the theaters after Venom, they don't talk about it, they don't care, they just spent time watching CGI on screen, that's all they remember. Was the CGI cool? Were they some quips? Excellent time passed. They can't remember the film the next day. With Bonds, people talk endlessly about every element. Not the same target audiences. Also I read often "they need to go back to a film every two years". They can't. We're not in the sixties anymore and they don't have Ian Fleming books, or already written scripts like Thunderball to pick up fast. They need to work from scratch and some Fleming left off ideas and keep up with the world always moving trends and current events at the same time. It takes two years minimum to find the right angle and write, one and a half year to produce, one year to promote all over the world. That's a minimum of 4,5 years not including vacations. So it's a Bond every 5 years. When they rush, like with Quantum Of Solace, you see the results.
You realize that "Quantum of Solace" followed "Casino Royale" by two years... and that was 2006/08, right?
I agree about the Bond films, but you don't need to badmouth Marvel films. They can be just as dense, have just as many subplots and require just as much attention. I didn't see Venom--I'll defer to you on that--but I think many MCU films are right up there with the best action films, including 007. Dr. Strange, Iron Man and other MCU characters have more compelling backstories than 007. The films are not interchangeable. As for QoS, I don't think it was rushed out. It was meant to build on the new Bond (Craig) and picked up right where Casino Royale left off. In some respects I liked it more than CR and certainly more than Skyfall.
Quantum of Solace was supposedly a few drafts away from being a finished screenplay when a writers' strike hit and Marc Forster/Daniel Craig did a weak polish on it.
I did point out QOS is proof you can't follow up every two years. The initial Bond built a momentum, because they were straight adaptations of the Fleming novels, with slight variations, ie they were rewrites, the basics were already laid out in the novels. Thunderball was even crazier, the film was written before they shot Dr. No. They could crank them up fast, they were basically indie films distributed by the studio. Now, Bond is in a totally different place. Just getting the products and clothing placements takes months. It's a national treasure, it's impossible to crank out films every two years (especially if the actors spend a year doing promotion worldwide).
Quantum was a great movie. I rank the Craig movies in order of release with Casino.. as the best. Apart from that, I agree with the points about mega movie v. original indie method. Similar has happened with the rebooted Dr Who, the mythology and the publicity has swamped the creativity. And yet the last Star Wars trilogy got made pretty quickly despite the same issues. They even turned out stand alone stories between the trilogy episodes. So a set of five films - same as Craig's Bond. But in five years rather than 16. Not great quality, I'll admit, apart from the first two, but proof that the weight of history doesn't have to become inertia on the film making process.
How old the spectators were, may I ask? Thanks I took a day off and went to a 5PM Monday showing, just to avoid a crowded theater and there were about 30-40 people; I spotted 5 or 6 young people and the rest were at least 30something and an old couple possibly in their 60s. Don't know who did it, but heard some sobbing from that moment to Madeleine's final words. Several things of the film I didn't like, but it's good to know that people emotionally touched by the vision of a film on the big screen, still exist.
75% over 50 I'd say. 1962 was the first bond and if a kid of 10 saw it and followed them all then they are now late 60's.
Off-topic, but: I noticed a bunch of COVID mentions in the ending credits of The Last Duel today (COVID Consultant, that kind of thing), so maybe it was Gucci that got the postponement? On-topic: Saw the Bond movie yesterday (on a rare weekday off - three people in the theater). Found the movie to be front-loaded in terms of the exciting stuff; and I didn't leave on the high I was expecting as my first multiplex movie experience in over a year. Some day, I'll watch all the Craigs in a week at home and see how it all flows.
No - "HoG" was just shot spring 2021. I knew it was a 2021 shoot because I follow Gaga on Twitter and saw her tweets from the production! IMDB was shot in 2020, though with breaks in the production due to the pandemic. Looks like shooting finished in fall 2020, though.
Most movies get really overhyped these days with social media and fake reviews. Is this one of them or is this good?
I just came back from the theater. An enjoyable film as always with Bond. But it wasn’t up to the high standards of Casino Royale or Spectre for me. Did you not see SPECTRE??
Less at my showing, at a prime time hour. And the projection was bad, too dark. Theaters better stop doing that kind of thing to save money. Too many of us have decent set ups at home to put up with that. If thry have to turn the brightness down to save money on replacement bulbs they should just close now. I won’t go back if that’s what the experience is going to be.
Yeah, the less than ideal audio and video is one thing, but putting up with hordes of noisy teens, like the group that showed up for NTtD when I went, is even worse. These dillholes seated themselves in the upper left of the theater, talked and acted obnoxious and making lewd comments through the entire movie and groups of 2-3 of them kept getting up, walking out, which of course means they're noisily going all the way from their seats, down the stairs and in front of the screen to the exit at the opposite end of the theater, and then all the way back. If they're going to do that can't they sit next to the exit? So obnoxious. Every time I go to the theater it's something. Every time I go see a movie I ask myself why would anyone pay to expose themselves to this? For Dune and the Sopranos prequel I re-activated my account on HBOMax.
Teens get bored quickly. Gaming is their FUN. Cinemas shouldn’t allow unruly children in. Problem is those multi screens. Kids will buy one ticket ( or get in free) .. then gatecrash other screens as many to their liking. Oh! The HORROR .
Thank you for you reply. Hey, a kid could've seen the 1962 film some years later, too. There were "double bill" shows at least through the early 80s, IIRC Dr. No was re-released until the end of the 60s. I guess it's too exhausting doing something similar today..how long a "Spectre/No time to die" double bill would be?
Same as the projection I saw; not only dark, but weird color timing and sometimes out of focus images. Were they saving bulbs? @Jrr, did you see something like this? I did
