Apple frontrunner alongside Netflix to land 'No Time to Die' as rumors of streaming deal swirl

In a Bloomberg report, MGM has reportedly issued a statement saying that it remains committed to a theatrical release and that 'No Time to Die' is "not for sale", however made no mention of a streaming deal or purchasing regional rights. Bloomberg suggests talks were "held" however iMore understands from a source familiar to the negotiations that the talks are still ongoing. A theatrical release would not preclude a streaming deal, and would actually be favored by Apple as it would make the film eligible for awards.

Apple may be a frontrunner in a new bidding war to land No Time to Die for its Apple TV+ streaming platform in what could be one of the biggest streaming deals ever.

First reported by Binged, there are rumors swirling that No Time to Die, the 25th James Bond title starring Daniel Craig, has been offered to streaming platforms for "insane amounts of money".

No Time To Die's box office release was delayed until Easter 2021 as the global pandemic continues to hamper the operation of theaters worldwide. According to Binged, MGM "is under tremendous pressure to sell the film to the highest bidder" with no sign of the current situation coming to an end anytime soon.

A source has separately confirmed to iMore that MGM has indeed offered the film to streaming platforms and that Apple is understood to be a frontrunner in the bidding war, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

As Binged notes, No Time to Die is one of the most highly anticipated Bond films ever, as it's 25th anniversary of the franchise and the fact that this will be Daniel Craig's last outing as the James Bond.

Apple has already signed a deal with No Time to Die's director Cary Fukunaga for the upcoming Apple TV+ show Masters of Air. Fukunaga will direct the shows first three episodes and join the show's production team.

There is no clear indication of how much the deal could be worth, or whether it might include rights to previous Bond films, however, Binged reports that top streamers are "offering monstrous sums of money."