Ticket Pre-Sales For “No Time To Die” Appear Biggest Since “Avengers: Endgame” in U.K.
It should come as no surprise that the love for James Bond in the U.K. is deep. Yet after a year and a half of the pandemic, it’s a happy jolt to hear that the pre-ticket sales for the 25th installment in the Bond franchise, No Time To Die, appear to be massive. Advance tickets for Daniel Craig’s final mission as James Bond went on sale in the U.K. on September 13, and The Hollywood Reporter notes that cinema owners have reported “a nearly unprecedented level of demand.” It is, they say, by far and away, the most intense interest in a film since before the pandemic.
One executive told THR that the “nearest equivalent” to this level of interest was the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Endgame. “Endgame was the last one that probably had the same palpable sense of ‘this absolutely cannot be missed and there was a sense of urgency about seeing it as soon as possible.”
Avengers: Endgame beat the opening box office record in the U.K. set by another Bond film, Spectre (2015), and ended up amassing $115 million there. While it’s unlikely No Time To Die can match those numbers in our current pandemic-stricken climate, there is a coordinated effort to give writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s long-awaited film the best possible chance. Universal will likely open No Time To Die in more than 700 theaters across the U.K., with “many major multiplexes showing the film on every screen available, sometimes starting screenings every 15 minutes,” THR reports.
The cinemas in the U.K. are throwing in some inspired extras to draw audiences. One, apparently, is offering a martini and popcorn with your ticket. Some are said to be parking Aston Martins in front of the cinemas for photo opportunities. In London, the historic Burlington Arcade gave itself a makeover with a James Bond-inspired installation.
The world premiere of No Time To Die will be held at London’s Royal Albert Hall on September 28, with Craig and many of the major players in attendance. It’s precisely where the last Bond film, Spectre, premiered in 2015. This premiere feels entirely different, however, with so much riding on the outcome of how the film fares. Who better to draw people back to the cinemas, many of whom haven’t set foot inside a movie theater in 18 months, than James Bond?
“We’re really hoping that this unlocks everything else and is very much the spark that makes everybody feel safe to return to cinemas,” one inside told THR, adding that cinema operators are going to make sure their theaters look as good as humanly possible. “The experience that people have when they come and see this film is going to dictate not just their experience on the day, but the next six weeks, six months. It’s going to be what they tell their friends, what they tell their family, whether they come back again.”
For more on No Time To Die, check out these stories:
“No Time To Die” Is Officially the Longest Bond Movie Ever
Breaking Down the Somber, Thrilling Final Trailer For “No Time To Die”
Best of Summer: Daniel Craig’s Final Mission as James Bond is Nigh
Listen to the First Episode of The Official “No Time To Die” Podcast
Meet James Bond’s Most Dangerous Adversary Yet
“No Time To Die” Drops Sensational Second Trailer
No Time To Die Writer/Director Cary Fukunaga Pitched an Insane Original Premise
Featured image: James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Paloma (Ana de Armas) in NO TIME TO DIE an EON Productions and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios film. Credit: Nicola Dove. © 2020 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
