Was the latest 007 instalment worth the wait?

By Emma Bullimore

Published: Friday, 01 October 2021 at 12:00 am


After months of pandemic-related delays and false starts, we had started to wonder if we’d ever see Bond flick No Time To Die on the big screen. Thankfully for fans, Daniel Craig’s final 007 outing is now showing in cinemas all over the UK, and the wait is finally over.

But with cinema habits disrupted, there was a question mark over how well the film would perform at the box office. Would people pay out for a martini (shaken, not stirred) and popcorn, or were we too accustomed to watching films from the sofa?

The early figures are in, and it looks like a successful start for the latest Bond movie, clocking in at an estimated £4.5-£5 million in the first 24 hours after opening in cinemas.

No Time To Die marks the widest theatrical release of all time, Deadline reports, opening in 772 cinemas across the UK and Ireland.

Over 30,000 people attending midnight screenings in the Uk and Ireland on Wednesday night and the latest movie’s opening comes in 13 per cent above that of its predecessor Spectre.

However, the numbers for the first 24 hours are 26 per cent below those of Skyfall in 2012.

If you fancy reading up about the film before you book your tickets, you can check out our No Time To Die review or get a flavour of everything you need to know about the movie.

The movie, which employed the talents of Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the writers’ room, stars Rami Malek as villain Safin, while Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Rory Kinnear reprise their roles as Q, M and Tanner. Craig has ruled out returning to the Bond franchise, leaving fans speculating about who will take on the role next.

No Time To Die is out in UK cinemas now. If you’re staying in, check out our handy TV Guide to see what’s on telly tonight.