Sharjah24 – Reuters: "No Time to Die," the latest installment in the James Bond franchise, debuted to $56 million at the domestic box office, a result that fell somewhat short of expectations and signals that even one of the most storied brands in film history is still being forced to contend with a moviegoing landscape that has been dramatically altered by the pandemic.

Heading into its U.S. opening weekend, James Bond flick "No Time to Die" had a lot going for it.

The hype was huge: The 25th installment of the spy thriller franchise, it marks actor Daniel Craig's final billing as the rakish secret agent.

And both film critics and audiences seem to like the flick, which scored high on ratings site Rotten Tomatoes.

And atop all that was pent-up demand for a long-delayed movie that was first scheduled to hit theaters in April 2020, just as closures and health measures upended the theater world.

"No Time to Die" was projected to pull in $60 to $70 million over its U.S. debut weekend... and it fell short. The film took in $56 million over the first three days.

That would be cause for celebration for a lot of movies. But this is a Bond flick with a production budget of $250 million and another $100 million spent on marketing.

It's a warning signal for the movie business as the health crisis persists and moviegoers are still reluctant to pack theaters in person.

Still, "No Time to Die" has already enjoyed an impressive global box office of $313 million and has still yet to open in China.

Rounding out the top 10:

7 - "Dear Evan Hansen" ($1 million)

8 - "Lamb" (1 million)

9 - "Candyman" ($710,000)

10 - "Jungle Cruise" ($215,000)