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Amazon says James Bond movies will still be released in theaters
No, Mr. Bond, I don't expect movie theaters to die.
You might not have to stay at home to watch James Bond movies if and when Amazon closes its purchase of MGM. As Deadline reports, producer Barbara Broccoli revealed to Sky News that Amazon had committed to releasing Bond movies in theaters "in the future." Broccoli wasn't more specific than that, but it's safe to say you won't need a Prime Video subscription to watch 007's post-Daniel Craig exploits.
MGM has gone out of its way to make sure the latest Bond flick, No Time to Die, premieres in theaters. The movie was slated to debut in April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted delays to November 2020, April 2021 and finally September 30th, 2021 for the UK. It reaches the US on October 8th. In all cases, MGM has steadfastly refused to make it available on streaming services like rival studios' blockbuster releases — Amazon might face stiff resistance if it tries digital premieres.
The news follows a familiar pattern: Hollywood studios are determined to stick to theater-first launches for as long as possible. While there was clearly some success for WarnerMedia and other studios that released movies simultaneously or exclusively on streaming services at the height of the pandemic, they clearly want to return to the pre-COVID status quo.
