Some pretty big news today coming out of EON Productions that is not only disappointing for James Bond fans but also potentially all movie fans in general based on what it might mean for the near future. MGM, Universal and EON have announced that they are pushing back the release of the next 007 film No Time to Die due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. It was supposed to hit theatres on April 3rd in the U.K. and April 10th in the U.S. but now they are pushing it back a full seven months. Their official statement is as follows:

MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. pic.twitter.com/a9h1RP5OKd

— James Bond (@007) March 4, 2020

Obviously with Bond being such a global franchise, this makes a lot of sense. No one wants to release a movie at a time when people are simply not going out in public and theatres are currently shut down in China which is having a major impact. But it immediately makes you wonder how many other blockbuster movies will be forced to follow suit. Disney’s Mulan is an obvious one that will be affected by this and although the Chinese release of that movie is delayed indefinitely they are still currently moving forward in other countries. The summer movie season could look very different this year if things stay on the current path. Public safety is the number one concern but there is a lot of money at stake here as well. One thing’s for sure: Netflix is currently in a great position to benefit from the virus outbreak.