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SUNDAY AM UPDATE: Huge pre-sales added up to a franchise record shattering opening in North American for the new Bond film. That’s phenomenal, considering 007′s 46-year history. It made $27M on Friday and another $26.1M Saturday from 3,451 theaters. So MGM/Sony were thrilled that their costly Quantum Of Solace‘s weekend grosses totaled $70.4M in North America (including Sunday’s estimate of $17.3M). That far exceeds the $60M which Hollywood expected. It’s also blows away by 73% the $40.8M North American weekend debut of Daniel Craig’s James Bond in MGM/Sony’s Casino Royale (November 2006), and easily beats the $47.1M bow of Die Another Day (November 2002) that used to be the best ever. Quantum‘s success must be due to either pent-up demand for Hollywood’s holiday season product or Daniel Craig’s new-found popularity or both. Because the new Bond-as-Bourne’s reviews were dismal (only 35% positive from top critics on Rotten Tomatoes as opposed to 95% for its predecessor). But it appears this 22nd Bond’s delayed U.S. debut — three weeks after its October 31st bow in the UK and two weeks after most of the world — proved to be a savvy distribution and marketing move for the new pic. Even though U.S. Bond fans have been bitching and moaning all over the Internet that they didn’t want to wait so long to see the film, which so far has made a staggering $251M internationally from 73 territories, or $322M worldwide. The pic is over halfway towards Casino Royale‘s global $599.2M after coming off a $126.5M weekend overseas.
And it has yet to open in Japan, Australia and Spain.
Last weekend’s big No. 1 film Madascagar: Escape 2 Africa, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount, was #2 with $8.1M Friday and $16.9M Saturday from 4,065 venues. That’s an impressive $36.1M weekend, down only 43% from a week ago because of crowded Saturday kiddie matinees, for a fresh new cume of $118M. The family fare soared over the $100M mark in just 10 days time. Universal’s surprisingly robust R-rated comedy Role Models held for No. 3 with only a 39% drop for an $11.7M weekend and a new $38.1M cume. At No. 4, Disney’s tween/teen hit among females High School Musical 3: Senior Year added another $5.8M weekend for a solid new cume of $84.3M. And Changeling, Universal’s Oscar-touted drama directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie, came in No. 5. It earned an additional $4.2M for a fresh $27.6M cume.
No. 6 was The Weinstein Co’s Zack And Miri Make A Porno from Kevin Smith with a $3.2M weekend and new $26.5M cume. The Weinstein Co’s other pic, distributed by MGM, was #7, the late Bernie Mac’s Soul Men, which had a $2.4M weekend and now a $9.4M cume. At No. 8, Fox Searchlight’s The Secret Life of Bees, based on the best-selling novel, earned another $2.4M this weekend for a fresh $33.6M cume. In No. 9, Lionsgate’s horrific R-rated Saw V made $1.7M this weekend for a new cume of $55.4. And, ounding out the Top 10, Freestyle Releasing’s The Haunting Of Mollie Hartley squeezed out $1.6M this weekend for a $12.6M cume.
The only other new film of note is Fox Searchlight’s Oscar-heralded and Danny Boyle-directed Slumdog Millionaire, which platformed in 10 theaters for a $350K weekend and a $418.1K new cume. It managed a huge per screen average of $35,043.
Overall, the weekend box office totaled a hefty $155M, up 49% from last year’s $103.7M.
Back to 007… Here’s why Quantum Of Solace opened late. It started when The Dark Knight made so much money that Warner Bros. decided to give other studios early Xmas cheer by moving Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to 2009, thus freeing up its original release date of November 21th (which about-to-be-blockbuster Twilight grabbed). That allowed Quantum of Solace to move from November 7th to November 14th. However, that also meant the new Bond pic’s U.S. bow would really lag behind its UK/France/Sweden record-breaking opening October 31st to November 2nd. That date was considered optimum for Europe because of a conveniently placed bank holiday. So why didn’t the studios pull the trigger on 007 at the same time in North America? Because when Halloween falls on a Friday, Saturday or even Sunday, it’s considered the worst weekend to open a movie here. Plus, Sony has had tremendous success with its pre-Thanksgiving plays. (You think these people aren’t superstitious?) So Quantum Of Solace wound up with this weekend all to itself in North America.
The new Bond film opened #1 in every territory where it debuted and exceeded the opening of Casino Royale in almost every market. A true sequel since its storyline picks up just one hour later, 007 had been tracking strongest among males, with hard-body Craig bringing interest from older women. In North America, the opening weekend exit polling showed the audience was 54% male and 46% female, with 58% over age 25 and 42% under 25. But filmgoers may not have realized this is 007 without the beloved Bond clichés and stereotypes. In fact, pic 22 is more like Bond-as-Bourne since it dropped Moneypenny, dropped Q, dropped the wit, dropped the gadgets and dropped the line “The name is Bond, James Bond.”
Meanwhile, rival studios tell me this may be the costliest film ever made minute-by-minute: $261 million for a 105-minute movie, which comes out to almost $2.5 million per minute. (Highest is the $300-million price-tag for 165-minute Pirates of The Caribbean 3.) But Sony sources say that number is off base by more than $60 million. Plus they claim tax credits from filming. Which is why one veteran film financing source warned me, “The film cost a fortune, and they spent a fortune to release it, so it better do well. Everything is relative.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Saw “Quantum of Solace” this evening. A surrealistically photographed movie without plot. All action and surface. The Ukrainian girl is fresh and pretty. Craig has grit. Thoroughly modern and mindless entertainment. A hit.
Saw Quantum this morning in N. VA outside of D.C.. Three quarters full theatre at 9:30 am. “Bourne” heavy— from the hyper editing to dressing down Bond for most of the film in almost the exact grunge look. Sophistication out— horrific rap-crap theme— uninteresting main titles, No gun barrel logo opening—NO James Bond theme, and a VERY mediocre score as well perhaps do to the non existent theme song— never intros himself, “Bond. James Bond.” Not only up the nostrils filmaking which cancels out the rest of the frame, but the overuse of “Bourne” twenty thousand cuts per second is beyond annoying but un-Bond like. NO comparison between an “action” pro like Martin Campbell who helmed “Casino” who knows where to place a camera and Forster who tediously gives the airey/fairey artsy approach which misses 60% of the action and backround. Craig looks and seems literally constipated throughout apparently needing to take a dump or the underwear is a size too small. Sad part is that a good film is there for the making as the script is very well written and in the hands of a Director who understands not only action but Bond this Part 2 of what is clearly meant to be a 3 or 4 part story arc could have been just as great as “Casino Royale”. Broccolis’ need to get off their “Bourne” mania/fears and trust the legacy of their Dad and Harry Saltzman— they should rewatch Goldfinger and recapture that once potent mix of seriousness, style, wit and FUN!!!
Bring back Moneypenny and Q with new actors who have a new take on the characters to match Craig’s gilt-edged Bond— don’t be afraid to slow the action a milimeter from blur to actually be able to see the punch land— give Craig a quip or three, and dialougue that is more than a grunt or a whisper. SHOW US THE MONEY and let the camera linger for 30 seconds on the scenery of the locations— it’s why we have watched since 1962 and don’t race through every setting and set, let Bond walk a time or two— he does’nt have to sprint everywhere after all he is not in afoot or box office race with Jason Bourne.PLEASE, let’s here that guitar riff as 007 speaks the words that fall so tripingly off the tongue: “The name is BOND, James Bond.”. DAMN RIGHT.
Comment by Mr. Smith — November 14, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Mr Smith. Go watch the movie and leave all the comments and reviews behind. Enjoy the movie for what it is, entertainment, which I must say was lacking in this year’s crop of movies, except for a few
All those who commented that the new Bond is like Bourne obviously prefer Bourne and can’t differentiate btw Bond and Bourne
If you are like many who thinks the Bond gadgets are just too silly to marvel at, Bond girls are such a cliche, Bond’s villians are way too over-the-top acting, then you will enjoy the new Bond flick, just like many did with Casino.
The new Bond is all about the modern Hero that relies not on gadget, babes or suave to save the world or his own arse. The new Bond is about brain, brawn and alittle bit of luck. There you are. Licence to be entertain is tagged with the movie.
Go watch it.
Fingers crossed for Bond B.O above 70M. Anything more is an afternoon delight!!1
I predicted it would do $70m+ and maybe even $80m on an internet movie forum (KJ) a while ago. So NO-ONE is a stretch. This was always going to be huge OW after the great WOM on Casino Royale.
bunch of bitchy little girls. black bond maybe, not proper love interests, too fast action scenes..jeez. for the girls here, violent action takes place in seconds.
i read the books from the library as a child back in 1965. have bought all the movies on dvd out of principle.
bad villians, bad kats and bad bond is the name of the game.
i do have a problem with a black bond though, that would throw fifty years of continuity right down the loo.
Oh yeah, something kept nagging me as I was watching the movie on my laptop. Daniel Craig looked familiar. Notice his tight, tan pants, dark shirt and jacket. Blonde, blues eyes, he’s a dead ringer for Steve McQueen in Bullitt. He could be the next McQueen, which would be great.
As a previous poster said, if they could get the right mix of drama and crafty wordplay like Goldfinger, they’d really hit the ball out of the park. I do like the new emphasis on realistic action, however, it’s still too much of a Bourne clone. They need to find their own way. And as I said before, more muscles please. More naked Craig. That’s why Casino did so well, women liked the eye candy.
“Fifty years of continuity” has to be preserved with a white Bond, but it’s fine if the new films’ scores and action sequences are completely inconsistent? Hypocritical much? Who are these fascist frat boys who need every franchise rebooted, anyway? The world was turning on its axis just fine before Hollywood decided to save it anyway with “badass” versions of Superman, Batman and Bond. This industry gets new ideas as often as Haley’s Comet comes around.
Craig is a great “re-invented” Bond but Quantum of Solace was a let down although any Bond movie without Halle Barry can’t be all bad. As a Bond fan I knew this movie was to be about Bond’s character development following CR which was fine but the technical plot and villan development was weak. Anyways, I look forward to a great Craig as Bond movie the next time out. We just need a script that is as good as the new edgier Bond/Craig style.
bet it doesn’t do $70mm. Most of the shows were not sold out at The Grove in Los Angeles (a huge destination for movie goers). For a typical big movie, this would have sold out every show after 6pm. Only one of the remaining 5-6 shows was sold out when we walked out of the theater a little after 7pm. I think this is hype by a competing studio so they can raise expectations and try to turn the Monday headlines into a “disappointing outing for Bond — only $50mm”.
Liked the movie but not as good as CR.
Yes the editors should be fired. But overall a really good, satisfy action movie. D.C. did a great job. I only wish he had more to say. The girls were fantastic. I hope to see more of them in other movies. I didn’t like the James Bond theme left to see and hear at the very end. That was really wrong. I hope that doesn’t ever happen again. Being suave and witty,witty would be so out of place in this type Bond movie.
Horrible film. Nothing Bond about it at all and quoting from the Bourne franchise rather heavily.
I doubt the next installment will do as well, try as hard as they might of turning it into a series of films you need to watch as opposed to previous stand-alones.
that movie was pretty lame. Not horrible, just forgettable. Screenplay written by big guns but they must be overrated because I almost fell asleep.
Our economy is tanking and people still flock to the theater. This is why the movie industry owns the news media, the government, and the public school system. People would rather be entertained than informed. Americans have no one to blame but the face in the mirror.
WELL, WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT. The show started bad, from the beginning song…Blahhhhh; went downhill from there. Sorry, but I would not waste my time or money on this one. You really want to see it, wait a couple of months and you should be able to rent it.
this film sucked saw it midnight showing was terrible. worst 007 of all time
Our economy is tanking and people still flock to the theater.
Life sucks sometimes. We need the movies. Get over your self-righteousness.
The movie was terrible.
Have any of you twits evere read the books? This is how Fleming portrayed Bond. Bourne who has nothing to do with this. Bond was Licensed to kill. Read the books. Like read Tom Clancey and then watch totaly different movie, or Stephen Hunter then watch Shooter. Hollywood has to put liberal poltical agendas in everything – read the auther. Did you ever think he did not bed this gal because it would offend the Muslim audince. Get a brain and learn how to read. Craig is the best.
This movie was bad. Why is bond so ugly now? Craig has a nice body but that face…
Funny, Grabber, Kick ass, Killer, People were laughing out loud at the clever irony of it. When Bond said “That wasn’t very nice” the guy behind and right cracked up. After that it was just very gripping and humorous at the same time. Something with that balance is hard to do and this one was deadly serious and the humor came as a result of realistic story telling. The plot was hard for me to follow at key points because of the pace. Now I see a reason for that kind of tempo and pace because people will buy the movie and watch it over and over to understand the clever story behind it. I did love the clear shot at the sham of environmentalism. Bravo – Thank you D.C. and the beautiful bond girls in this film, but especially the brilliant people that put this guaranteed successful franchise together decade after decade. No one in Hollywood can claim this kind of success except the wonderful 007.
Haven’t seen it. Won’t see it. Casino Royale didn’t do anything for me. And I think it’s really because of the “new and improved James Bond”. Daniel Craig, I knew James Bond – and you, sir, are no James Bond.
God, just look at the movie poster: Craig looks like his anus is chafing but he’s being forced to walk alongside this woman who seems disgusted with him as well. Some chemistry, huh?
If they wanted to do something different they should have invented some other superspy and started another franchise. In fact it’s as if they did so, and then bought the “James Bond, 007″ title to stick on it.
No Q? No Moneypenny? No quips? No gadgets? These things are James Bond. The 007 franchise has certain inescapable conventions to it, which are nonexistent in this film. Whatever the new Bond is (Bourne or whoever) it ain’t Bond, James Bond.
For those of you who loved Casino Royale…. WOW. That movie totally sucked. No plausible story line that I can remember. You have people chasing others thru sequences that are fun to watch, but what the hell is the story about? Does anyone give a shit about story? Obviously not any more.
As for the rapid action cutting. Yeah, well when you have a director who can’t shoot an action sequence that’s what you get. Ever have a look at THE ROCK, as a prime example. It’s garbage. (Except The Rock, to me, is hysterically funny bad)
As far as a good Bond film, I’d guess the best was Goldfinger. Would it hold up today? Don’t know. Haven’t seen it in thirty years…. Do they have to follow the Bond structure? Can’t say. Personally I always loved the set ups, the cars, and the gadgets. It used to be that the first 10-12 minutes of Bond were the best. They had really well done action sequences. Personally I don’t care if they want to follow the tradition or not. No that’s untrue. I kinda like tradition when it plays. But maybe audiences aren’t old enough to care.
As for the “fire the editors” comment. That’s beyond lame-assed. You think it’s THEIR film? I’d be willing to bet they cut their asses off with the material they had. This doesn’t mean I like that style. I despise it. One of the editors cut on or two of the Bournes and I hated that style just as much.
Oh, and Go read the books. Who says the screenwriter has to be true to the book? Fleming was an OKAY writer but I don’t think you need to read the book to justify a crappy film. Bond of old was basically a good looking sexist prick who was involved in sexy cool government spying. Yeah, that’s fine writing with a keen understanding of the feminine mystique. Good stuff there.
Oh and BB – Holy God, how on earth did you come up with that conclusion? “Our economy is tanking and people still flock to the theater. ……… Americans have no one to blame but the face in the mirror.” The only thing missing in your thesis is that The JEWS own the film business, thus the government and the public schools. BB, my conclusion: Americans have YOU to blame with that kind of thinking.
Great, well-directed action sequences? Glad you asked. Top of my head: Bullit, Treasure of the Sierra Madre. (The fight in the bar for one) French Connection, Die Hard. The Great Escape. Seven Samurai. and I’m sure there are a lot more… But it ain’t gonna be this Bond film or Casino Royale. Oh how I wish the barre wasn’t so low.
With that said, if you enjoyed it. Fine. It’s your dime, so to speak. But to those with the comments I ranted over. I’m sure other parts of your brain work really well.
After all that’s said and done, it’s a fun movie to watch. Action sequences galore and it takes you away from ho-hum reality.
Bond’s hook-ups aren’t as hot as it was with Vesper (best “Bond girl” to date) which is somewhat disappointing.
The theme song is horrible!! Why not they get Sharon Jones to do it?
Went and saw the movie this AM. Quelle Disappointmente! Starts out with a chase scene with fast cuts. I found that annoying. Later on in the flick, many scenes were shot with the auto stab switch on the camera turned OFF. Yeah, Yeah, I know, that’s the way they’re doing them now and if you don’t like it, blah, blah etc. Actually fell asleep at one point because things were dull; was awakened by a 90-db gunshot. Thought maybe I may come back and see it again at another time because, after all, the Brits liked it, right? Wasn’t sure what I had missed and what was going on. Then it occurred to me. Maybe the makers of the movie didn’t WANT me to know what was going on! And, Oh, By The Way, I read and loved all the books but I sure don’t remember any Quantum of Solace book, at least, not by Fleming. Just maybe I missed that, too. Speaking of missing things, I’ll also miss the DVD when it comes out. Think that will be soon.