Entertainment
No Time To Die: World premiere for new James Bond movie
Actor Daniel Craig walked the red carpet for the final time as James Bond in rain-swept London on Tuesday, at the star-studded but much-delayed world premiere of the latest superspy blockbuster, “No Time To Die”.
British star Craig’s fifth and final outing in the franchise is hitting big screens after its release was repeatedly postponed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Royal couples Prince Charles and Camilla and Prince William and Kate were also at the premiere at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall.
Charles talked with the stars, shaking hands with Craig having trodden the sodden red carpet.
English actor Daniel Craig poses on the red carpet after arriving to attend the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP)
The film is part of a backlog of major productions held back by distributors during the pandemic, hitting cinemas hard, and forcing some new films to be streamed.
The release will be in cinemas only, with struggling theatres hoping Bond will lure back crowds.
Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (2L) and Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) stand with Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (R) and Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall as they arrive for the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. . (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP)
“I’m greatly relieved, we make Bond movies for the cinema,” Craig, dressed in a dark pink tuxedo jacket, told Sky News on the red carpet.
Reflecting on 15 years of playing 007, Craig said: “I genuinely don’t have any bad memories, but I think it’s going to take about another 15 years to unpick all this.”
From Left, US singer-songwriter Finneas O’Connell, US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, US actor Rami Malek, screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge, US film director Cary Joji Fukunaga, Cuban actor Ana de Armas, English actor Lashana Lynch and English actor Naomie Harris pose on the red carpet after arriving to attend the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP)
Vue Entertainment, the UK branch of the cinema operator Vue International, hailed the movie’s release as “the cinematic event of the year”.
It will go on general release in Britain on Thursday and in the United States on October 8 — a year and a half behind schedule.
– Craig bows out –
In the film, reportedly costing $250 million (£182 million, 214 million euros), Bond returns to active service after retirement, vowing: “I have to finish this.”
He deploys his trademark hi-tech gadgets in spectacular scenery in Italy and Norway while battling the villainous Safin, played by Oscar-winner Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”).
“I get shot and then I get blown up. It feels like James Bond to me,” Craig said in an official podcast.
Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (2L) talks with English actor Daniel Craig ahead of the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP)
With Craig bowing out, calling the role “a massive part” of his life, speculation has mounted over who will inherit his fabled licence to kill.
UK bookmakers are tipping the likes of Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”, “Dunkirk”) or Rege-Jean Page, the mixed-race star of the Netflix hit “Bridgerton”.
Craig, 53, has held onto the role longer than any of his predecessors since his 2006 debut in “Casino Royale”.
He has won praise for adding depth and emotional complexity to the all-action role, but only reluctantly agreed to one final appearance as Bond.
Olympic athlete Mo Farah (C), Tania Nell, and Rhianna Farrah pose on the red carpet after arriving to attend the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP)
After “Spectre” in 2015, Craig told Time Out magazine he would rather “slash his wrists” than reprise the role but recently apologised for appearing flippant.
Emmy-winning US filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga directed the new film, becoming the first American to helm the franchise.
His previous films include a 2011 adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre”.
The filmmaker stepped in after the original director Danny Boyle, known for “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Trainspotting”, left over “creative differences” in 2018.
‘World Has Changed’
Fukunaga said in a promotional video that his Bond is “like a wounded animal”, struggling because “the world has changed, the rules of engagement aren’t what they used to be: the rules of espionage (are) darker in this era of asymmetric warfare”.
US actor Jason Momoa poses on the red carpet after arriving to attend the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP)
The Bond films are based on a character created by upper-class British writer Ian Fleming in novels published in the 1950s and 1960s.
As the MeToo movement has heightened awareness of misogyny in popular culture, some have argued that time has run out for the franchise.
The new film’s director has also criticised Bond’s sexual exploits.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fukunaga said that in one 1960s-era film, “basically Sean Connery’s character rapes a woman”.
“That wouldn’t fly today,” he stressed.
Among those working on the screenplay was Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the British creator and star of the TV series “Fleabag” and writer of the first series of “Killing Eve”.
US-British film producer Barbara Broccoli (C) and US-British film producer Michael G. Wilson (R) pose on the red carpet after arriving to attend the World Premiere of the James Bond 007 film “No Time to Die” at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 28, 2021. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP)
In the film, Bond spars with a black female MI6 agent, played by Briton Lashana Lynch, and has to take a back seat to her as she flies a plane.
“It’s an incredible moment to have a female black lead in a movie who is holding her own,” she told Sky News on the red carpet.
“It feels really empowering for me to even play her. It felt like the stars aligned for this one,” she said.
Popular Nigerian singer, Adekunle Kosoko, better known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simisola Kosoko, also known as Simi, have welcomed a set of twin babies.
The singer announced the good news via his Snapchat story on Wednesday.
“Asked God for another child and He blessed me double,” Simi wrote.
Although the gender of the babies has not been disclosed, the announcement has since attracted congratulatory messages from fans, colleagues and well-wishers across the entertainment industry.
The development comes months after Simi had hinted at her pregnancy. In December, she shared a video on Instagram, captioned, “From my baby, for my babies,” with the clip showing her baby bump.
The arrival of the twins also comes weeks after Simi featured in a snippet from Adekunle Gold’s recently released music video titled My Love Is the Same.
Adekunle Gold and Simi got married in 2019 after years of friendship and musical collaboration. Both artistes were formerly signed to X3M Music early in their careers and have since remained one of Nigeria’s most celebrated celebrity couples.
The couple welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
Renowned Tungba gospel musician, Dr Yinka Ayefele, has released a new studio album titled Reflections, adding another chapter to his long-standing influence in Nigeria’s gospel music scene.
The album, which was released on Monday, December 22, 2025, blends introspection with praise, as Ayefele reflects on life, faith and gratitude to God, drawing from personal experiences marked by trials, near-tragedies and triumphs.
Announcing the release in a statement, the Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Fresh Nigeria and Yinka Ayefele Limited, Samson Akindele, said the album captures the musician’s deep reflections on life and his renewed commitment to thanksgiving and praise through music.
Musically, Reflections is rooted in Ayefele’s signature Tungba style, featuring energetic drum percussions, rich string arrangements and call-and-response patterns, supported by harmonious backup vocals from the Merry Makers Band.
The album also incorporates diverse elements, including Tungba hymnals and an Arabic praise chant rendered by a budding female talent, Harike Jesu, who additionally delivers a danceable Fuji-inspired track.
According to details of the project, the opening track focuses on Ayefele’s life journey and lessons drawn from past experiences, while subsequent tracks express appreciation to fans and sustain a flow of upbeat, dance-friendly rhythms.
Reflections is available on major digital streaming and download platforms, including Spotify, Boomplay, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Audiomack, YouTube Music, Deezer and Tidal.
The compact disc version is expected to be released in the coming days under the Yinka Ayefele Music label.
Jamaican reggae icon, Jimmy Cliff, is dead. He died on Monday at the age of 81.
His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced the singer’s passing in a statement posted on his official Instagram page.
Chambers said Cliff “crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” describing the loss as “profoundly saddening.”
She wrote, “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career.”
Cliff, revered as one of reggae’s defining figures and widely regarded as the genre’s most influential artiste after the late Bob Marley, enjoyed a stellar career that spanned more than four decades.
A multi-instrumentalist known for classics such as You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come, Cliff blended reggae with folk, soul, ska and rock. His music frequently tackled themes of politics, poverty, injustice and social resistance.
He shot to global prominence following the release of the 1972 film The Harder They Come, in which he starred. The movie, partly inspired by his tough upbringing, played a pivotal role in pushing Jamaican reggae onto the world stage.
Reacting to his death, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, described Cliff as “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.”
“His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations, and helped to shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today,” Holness said.
“Walk good, Jimmy Cliff. Your legacy lives on in every corner of our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people,” he added.
-
Politics3 days agoIbarapa East Assembly Hopeful, Ramon Congratulates Ajiboye, Says Emergence Good for Oyo APC
-
Politics7 days agoMakinde: My Successor Must Be Loyal to Oyo, Not Me
-
Politics3 days ago2027: Former Oyo Deputy Governor Adeyemo Emerges APC Chairman (See Full List)
-
Politics7 days agoFintiri Dumps PDP for APC, Moves with Cabinet, 14 Adamawa Lawmakers