After 16 months of release delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the final Daniel Craig James Bond film may end up costing MGM over $100 million in losses. The film which was highly promoted for months on end may ultimately become a casualty for the studio as it's not been able to meet the outrageous and inflated costs of attempting to put a movie out during a global health crisis. The film, which has grossed over $730 million to date doesn't look to ever regain what it cost to make and market.
According to several sites, the film would need to make over $900 million to actually turn a profit. The production itself cost $250 million to produce with roughly $100 million to promote it, the film cost the studio millions upon millions to delay the film for months on end. Most analysts say that the final Craig outing must cap at least that $900 million mark to assemble any type of financial success or at least to turn a profit. Unfortunately, much of the film's older audience is still hesitant to return to cinemas and it made it an uphill battle for the movie's theatrical release.
MGM has disputed this but may be trying to save face in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, one that still threatens box office receipts going forward:
“Unnamed and uninformed sources suggesting the film will lose money are categorically unfounded and put more simply, not true. The film has far exceeded our theatrical estimates in this timeframe, becoming the highest grossing Hollywood film in the international marketplace and passing ‘F9’ to become the highest grossing Hollywood film since the pandemic. With the PVOD release of the film already doing stellar home viewing business, all while continuing to hold well theatrically, ‘No Time To Die’ will earn a profit for MGM, both as an individual film title and as part of MGM’s incredible library.”
-CG