Heading into the thick of awards season, a lot of movies want to boost their chances for nominations, which leads to some titles being re-released into theaters. That case couldn’t be hurt by the recent decision to bring Daniel Craig’s No Time To Die back in a limited theatrical run, which is set to start this weekend. However, this new victory lap for the finale of the current era of James Bond raises two important questions: when will fans be able to see the movie back on the big screen, and are there any plans for the other 007 films in the canon to get the same treatment? Let’s break this down step by step, shall we?
Where And When You Can Catch No Time To Die On The Big Screen (Again)
Per an announcement by MGM and the official social media outlets for the James Bond brand, No Time To Die is now confirmed to be heading back to select IMAX theaters on Friday, January 21st. As of this moment, this is purely a large format affair, which makes absolute sense. Being the first Bond film to actually film sequences with IMAX cameras and film, giving fans who may have missed this gargantuan experience another spin at the wheel is only fair. Also, MGM has prepared some extras for the occasion, starting with this special version of the studio’s logo, combined with that of the 60th anniversary for 007:
That’s not the only surprise ahead for Bond aficionados, as a special Q&A will precede special opening night showings of No Time to Die. Participants in that discussion include co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga, franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and, of course, Commander Bond himself, Daniel Craig. It’s a lot of hoopla for the 25th 007 movie, which could help boost the box office for the pandemic era hit. That said, what’s going on with the other 24 James Bond entries, which are more than ready to be brought back to theaters themselves?
Could The Other 24 James Bond Movies Be Shown Again For The 60th Anniversary?
One would think that an easy way to celebrate James Bond’s 60th anniversary is to release the entire lot back into theaters. Individual entries like Goldfinger and On Her Majesty's Secret Service haven't been strangers to the repertory circuit, and the entire series has already proven it’s 4K ready through the recent streaming runs those films have seen on Prime Video. But as of yet, there’s only one venue that seems to be running a 007 retrospective series, and you’ll need to be in London to get to it.
Between January 20th and August 4th, the Prince Charles Cinema will be running every prior installment of the James Bond collection. From head to toe, Spectre to Dr. No, every previous film will be shown in chronological order on select Saturdays and Thursdays; with an extra Monday showtime thrown in for Timothy Dalton's The Living Daylights. It’s clearly something that can be done, which leaves the ball in the court of major theatrical exhibitors, or MGM itself, to make it happen in other corners of the world.
Even if select films were made available throughout 2022’s 60th anniversary, it would feel like a more proper celebration for the longest running film franchise in history. However, as it currently stands, the only film getting the red carpet treatment for 007’s sixth decade of service is No Time To Die. It’s certainly a good start, but let’s hope something greater is in the works and is waiting to be announced in the weeks to come.
For now, No Time To Die is still available for rental and purchase on both physical and digital media. However, starting January 21st, you can catch it again in select IMAX theaters; so check your local listings carefully. Don’t wait too long though, as Roland Emmerich’s next sci-fi apocalypse Moonfall is set to debut in that very format on February 4th. Also, if you’re looking to catch Being James Bond: The Daniel Craig Story, but don’t have the 4K release to No Time To Die, that documentary is currently available for free on YouTube.
