This screengrab of the official @007 Bond Twitter account shows the announcement of the red carpet world premiere of the new James Bond movie No Time to Die.

LOS ANGELES - The new James Bond movie No Time To Die on Friday set a world premiere date for late September, despite speculation in the entertainment industry that the film's release might be delayed for a fourth time because of the coronavirus epidemic.

A posting on the official @007 Bond Twitter account said the red carpet world premiere for the Universal Pictures and MGM film would take place in London on Sept 28, ahead of the planned Sept 30 release date in UK movie theaters.

It is due to be released in the United States on Oct 8.

A posting on the official @007 Bond Twitter account said the red carpet world premiere for the Universal Pictures and MGM film would take place in London on Sept 28, ahead of the planned Sept 30 release date in UK movie theaters

The date for "No Time to Die" has been moved three times from its original April 2020 slot since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020 as movie theaters around the world closed their doors and restrictions were placed on audience capacity.

READ MORE: Movie studio behind 'James Bond' franchise explores sale

James Bond movies are among the most valuable film franchises in Hollywood, with 2015's Spectre raking in US$880 million at the box office worldwide, while Skyfall in 2012 grossed more than US$1 billion globally.

The film, which cost an estimated US$200 million to produce, marks Daniel Craig's last outing as the British secret agent and is among the most anticipated potential blockbusters this fall.

However, the Delta variant of COVID-19 has led to a rise in infections in the United States and elsewhere, raising concern about whether audiences will feel safe sitting in cinemas.

Box office receipts for recent big releases, including Black Widow and The Suicide Squad, have been disappointing as Hollywood studios have released some films on streaming platforms.

ALSO READ: The name's Bond, seriously: Polish archives throw up namesake

Takings at the box office for North America are running about 50 percent behind the same period in 2019, according to Variety.