No Time to Die: Bond 25 Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Details

No Time to Die has been postponed until November. Until then we have a dossier about what you need to know of Daniel Craig's last James Bond outing.

Bond by the numbers: 67 years after Ian Fleming first created him, James Bond is coming back for his 25th film, which is titled No Time to Die. The longest continually running movie series of all time, the Bond films have grossed over $7.04 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing series in history. 

With No Time to Die providing Daniel Craig with his last outing as 007–he’s adamant this time, even after saying he would rather slash his wrists than do a fifth one–the new film looks set to be something special for the franchise with an interesting new director, a lot of new ideas, and one hell of a reputation to live up to. The film has also had to deal with a lot of legal wrangling over the distribution rights. Sony, which has distributed every Bond film since Casino Royale, has now lost out to Universal Pictures, as well as MGM’s own United Artists Releasing in the U.S.. 

The movie was filmed in the iconic GoldenEye beach house in Jamaica, where Fleming wrote his earliest Bond stories. Jamaica is also where the very first Bond film, Dr. No, was set. It seems only fitting that Craig’s Bond would return here for his 25th outing. Additional footage was shot in Norway, Italy, and Pinewood Studios in London. More globetrotting for you, Mr. Bond.

No Time to Die Release Date

No Time to Die was originally slated to hit theaters on April 10, 2020 but it was announced in early March that the release would be pushed back until November – Nov. 12 in the UK and Nov. 25 in the US – amid fears of the continued spread of the Coronavirus. A statement on Twitter read:

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“MGM, Universal, and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020.”

No Time to Die Trailer

A brand new batch of footage from No Time to Die arrived during the Super Bowl! Watch it here…

You can check out all the earlier trailers below…

This promotional video from the set of No Time to Die teases some of the scenes from the movie’s Caribbean set:

No Time to Die Cast 

After he made Spectre in 2015, Daniel Craig may have indicated that he would, ahem, rather not play Bond again. But put it down to his trademark grouchiness (or the huge paycheck), he later changed his mind and decided that, yes, he would actually quite like to play one of cinema’s most iconic, beloved characters again, please. Confirming the news on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Craig announced that he would be returning for No Time to Die and that it would be his last time playing the role. 

“I think this is it,” he said. “I just want to go out on a high note and I can’t wait.”

Léa Seydoux will be reprising her role as psychologist Madeleine Swann for Fukunaga’s film, which makes sense as the last Bond movie ended with her and 007 riding off into the sunset. As unsurprisingly indicated in the trailer, it didn’t last. However, Seydoux and Swann mark the first time a Bond girl has returned for a major role in the franchise (although Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench did make a brief appearance in both Dr. No and From Russia with Love).

Christoph Waltz, who played the evil Blofeld in Spectre, will return for a second outing as well. Read more about Blofeld’s return here.

Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) is set to play the next Bond villain. His character’s name is Safin and his motivations are vague, however Malek made clear when he was cast that he did not want to play a bad guy driven by religious or ideological motivations. Instead Malek has since confirmed about his enigmatic character with an apparently damaged face that he thinks of himself as a savior and somewhat like Mr. Bond.

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“He thinks he’s a savior of humanity,” Malek said. “He does consider himself as a hero almost in the same way that Bond is a hero.”

Meanwhile Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049) is reuniting with Daniel Craig after having her breakout English role opposite the 007 actor in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. In No Time to Die, she plays Paloma a CIA agent and ally to Mr. Bond when he goes to Cuba. The role was apparently Fukunaga’s idea late in pre-production, as he was a fan of the actor. De Armas described her character to The Hollywood Reporter as “very irresponsible.” She added, “She’s got this bubbliness of someone who is excited to be on a mission, but she plays with this ambiguity — you don’t really know if she’s like a really trained, prepared partner for Bond.

Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) plays the other major “Bond girl” of the film, but that term should be used loosely. In actuality, she is Bond’s successor to the 007 designation. Her character Nomi has replaced Bond as MI6’s top go-to agent since he retired in 2015, and she is not exactly thrilled her predecessor is getting back in the game. She told THR that Nomi provides a “fresh perspective on a brand-new black woman in the Bond world.”

Other new additions include Billy Magnussen (Fukunaga’s Maniac), Dali Benssalah (A Faithful Man), and David Dencik (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

Much of the MI6 cast introduced in Skyfall are also returning, including Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q, and Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner. Further, Jeffrey Wright is reprising the role of Felix Leiter for the first time since appearing in the first two Craig Bond movies, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. He is still the former 007’s old CIA buddy who’s come to Jamaica to convince Bond to do one last job. Uh-oh…

No Time to Die Story

Here’s the official synopsis of the movie:

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In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade wrote the original draft, with Scott Burns (Contagion) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) contributing material.

No Time to Die Director

Cary Fukunaga is the new James Bond director. Fukunaga is a fascinating choice given his previous work, including Jane Eyre, Beasts of No Nation, the first season of True Detective, and the limited Netflix series Maniac. Fukunaga is an unconventional choice, much like Sam Mendes before him. His unique visual flair suggests Eon is interested in keeping the auteur sensibility of the last two 007 movies, albeit through a very different vessel.

“We are delighted to be working with Cary,” say producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, confirming the story to Deadline. “His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure.”

Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting28 Days Later, and Sunshine, was previously attached before leaving the project.

No Time to Die Theme Song

Billie Eilish is performing the theme song for the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die. The 18-year-old Grammy winner co-wrote the song with her brother and musical collaborator, Finneas O’Connell. You can have a listen to it below.

It’s more wistful and funereal than some bond themes with lyrics that speak to Bond’s feelings of betrayal over a secret kept by Madeleine Swann.

As Eilish expresses in a statement, “It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way. To be able to score the theme song to a film that is part of such a legendary series is a huge honor. James Bond is the coolest film franchise ever to exist. I’m still in shock.” Finneas adds, “Writing the theme song for a Bond film is something we’ve been dreaming about doing our entire lives. There is no more iconic pairing of music and cinema than the likes of Goldfinger and Live and Let Die. We feel so so lucky to play a small role in such a legendary franchise, long live 007.”

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The traditionally prestigious Bond theme song gig will have Eilish following Craig-era offerings in Sam Smith’s “Writing’s on the Wall” for 2015’s Spectre, Adele’s much beloved “Skyfall” from the 2012 entry of the same name, Jack White and Alicia Keys’ “Another Way to Die” for 2008’s Quantum of Solace and (arguably the best among them), “You Know My Name” by the late Chris Cornell for 2006’s Casino Royale.

Eilish’s Bond theme will complement a movie score from a franchise newcomer in the Oscar-winning composer, Hans Zimmer, who steps in to replace a departing Dan Romer. As film producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli express, “We are excited to announce that Billie and Finneas have written an incredibly powerful and moving song for No Time to Die, which has been impeccably crafted to work within the emotional story of the film.”

No Time to Die Photos

Check out these charming photos for Craig’s last go.

Daniel Craig in Bond 25; MGM
Daniel Craig and Lea Seydoux in No Time to Die
Lashana Lynch in No Time to Die
Ana de Armas as a Bond Girl in No Time to Die
Rami Malek as Safin in No Time to Die
Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz in No Time to Die
Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time to Die
Daniel Craig as James Bond with a gun in No Time to Die
Daniel Craig and Lea Seydoux running in No Time to Die
Ana de Armas in No Time to Die
Daniel Craig as James Bond driving in No Time to Die
Cary Funakaga, Daniel Craig and Lea Seydoux