No Time To Die

Daniel Craig grateful for chance to cap off 15-year run playing James Bond

Nearly 60 years after the first Bond film Dr No premiered, cinema's favourite spy, known for his love of fast cars and cool gadgets, returns in the highly anticipated 25th Bond movie next week after an 18-month delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Costing an estimated $US200 million ($NZ285m) to produce, No Time To Die sees Bond come out of retirement from an idyllic life in Jamaica to help track down a new villain armed with lethal technology.

Bond fans ask for No Time to Die delay due to coronavirus

No Time to Die is due for release on 3 April but fans have asked for it to be held back to the summer "when experts expect the epidemic to have peaked".

The open letter is from the founders of MI6 Confidential and The James Bond Dossier, James Page and David Leigh.

"It is time to put public health above marketing release schedules."

The letter, titled No Time for Indecision, continued: "With a month to go before No Time to Die opens worldwide, community spread of the virus is likely to be peaking in the United States.

James Bond, Top Gun and Black Widow trailers unveiled

Fans also got new glimpses of Black Widow and the new Minions movie.

Bill Murray, Chris Rock and Winona Ryder were a few of the Hollywood stars enlisted to star in adverts on one of the biggest nights in the US television-watching calendar.

The cost of a 30-second spot during the game can be more than $5m (£3.8m).

Yet that is considered a price worth paying for the exposure a slot during the annual American Football showdown can bring to a film, TV show or product.

Billie Eilish to sing the new James Bond theme

The US singer, who turned 18 last month, is the youngest artist in history to write and record a theme for the franchise.

"It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way," said the star, who called the assignment "a huge honour".

"James Bond is the coolest film franchise ever to exist. I'm still in shock."

The last two Bond themes, Adele's Skyfall and Sam Smith's Writing's On The Wall (from Spectre), have both won an Oscar.

James Bond film title revealed as No Time To Die

The 25th official James Bond movie will be called No Time To Die - the news was revealed by producers on Twitter.

The movie, which will see Daniel Craig play 007 for the fifth and final time, will also star Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek as "a mysterious villain".

Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge is one of the writers. Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw will return as M and Q respectively.

Naomie Harris is coming back as Moneypenny and Rory Kinnear will again play MI6 chief of staff Bill Tanner.