Three weeks ago, MGM announced that its latest James Bond film, No Time to Die, would be delayed until April 2, 2021. New rumors have opened up the possibility that Bond fans may be able to enjoy the movie sooner than that – and in the comfort of their own homes, no less.
In a recent tweet, industry insider Drew McWeeny revealed that Apple and Netflix were wrestling one another to get No Time to Die on their respective services. According to McWeeny, the numbers being thrown around are “insane,” which not only implies that a lot of money is on the table, but that MGM is ditching the idea of a theatrical debut.
“I can’t get my head around the idea that we may well see James Bond debut on Apple TV+ or Netflix. The numbers I’ve been hearing the last few days are I N S A N E…,” McWeeny tweeted.
I can’t get my head around the idea that we may well see James Bond debut on Apple TV+ or Netflix. The numbers I’ve been hearing the last few days are I N S A N E…
— BooMcScreamy (@DrewMcWeeny) October 22, 2020
If we had to guess, No Time to Die has a higher chance of debuting on Apple’s streaming service because the company has a ridiculous amount of cash to play with, unlike Netflix, which is constantly borrowing and adding to its crushing debt. Apple has also proven that it’s serious about acquiring blockbuster content that was originally intended for theaters, such as Tom Hanks’s WWII film, Greyhound, which premiered exclusively on Apple TV+ this summer.
Coincidentally, MGM had held talks with both Apple and Netflix about a potential acquisition earlier this year.