No Time to Die will be released in Britain in April

The makers of the latest James Bond blockbuster have been forced to postpone a lucrative publicity tour in China as cinemas in the country remain shut in efforts to contain the coronavirus.

The closure of 70,000 cinema screens across China is taking a toll on the film business from Shanghai to London.

No Time to Die, due for UK release on April 3, will be Daniel Craig’s last as 007 and was expected to be the highest-grossing Bond movie to date. But with revenue from the Chinese market in doubt this is now seen as unlikely.

China has the world’s second-biggest takings at the box office, with more than £6bn in revenue last year. Disney’s Avengers: Endgame took more than £450m in the country alone.