Las Vegas (United States) (AFP)
A long extract of the next "James Bond" presented Tuesday at the CinemaCon festival in Las Vegas has stirred up professionals in the sector, who are looking for the recipes to revive the cinema and theaters damaged by the pandemic.
Nine-minute clip of "Die Can Wait" - purported to be Daniel Craig's last performance in the impeccable Spymaster costume - shows Bond regaining consciousness after an explosion in a picturesque Italian village, before embarking on a car chase which the agent has the secret.
The plot resumes after that of "Specter", released at the end of 2015, and casts doubt on the fidelity of the conquest of Bond, Madeleine Swann, played by Léa Seydoux.
"I have to tell you something", launches the young woman to Bond in the extract, while armed minions pretend to surround him.
"I have the impression," 007 retorts angrily.
The 25th episode of the British agent's adventures has suffered repeated delays due to Covid-19 and will be presented in London on September 28.
It will play a decisive role in bringing spectators back to cinemas.
"We know it was overdue but it was important for us to release this film at a time when fans could see James Bond the way it should: on the big screen," said MGM studio director of films. Michael De Luca, acclaimed by the bosses of cinemas gathered in Las Vegas.
No reference was made to the recent acquisition of the Hollywood studio by giant Amazon.
Traditional James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have insisted that future episodes of James Bond's life will continue to be shown in theaters.
The 007 franchise was however considered the jewel in the crown of the catalog acquired by Amazon for the sum of 8.45 billion dollars.
Last year CinemaCon, where Hollywood studios usually dispatch star cohorts to flatter theater owners, had to be canceled due to the coronavirus.
Now that nearly 90% of North American theaters have reopened, professionals gathered at Caesars Palace casino are betting big on theaters to boost their revenues.
"There is only one way to create a billion dollar franchise: to show films first in theaters" rather than on streaming platforms, insisted Adam Aron, president of the big cinema chain. AMC.
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