BREAKING… Strong film reviews and advance buzz keep propelling the high-octane spy actioner to fast-moving and often record-setting overseas grosses its first 10 or so days out. Sony Pictures’ and MGM’s Skyfall, the 23rd film in the James Bond series from Eon Productions, grossed an astonishing $156 million this weekend, bringing the overseas total to $287 million after just 10 days. “Overseas Bond numbers are huge. Exceptional results across the board fr Skyfall,” a Sony exec tells me. Sony’s markets earned an estimated $139 million for the weekend and MGM’s licensees did and estimated $17 million. IMAX issued an estimated weekend gross of $4.3M in 132 overseas locations over 36 territories, or $33,000+ per screen. Among holdovers, the UK fell off just 21% from its opening weekend to gross $25.7M and bring the 10-day market cume to a staggering $85.8M. France added $14.3M in its 2nd frame to bring the market cume to $30.0M, already passing the lifetime of Casino Royale and a day from passing Quantum Of Solace. This Friday-Saturday-Sunday fell off just 20% from last weekend’s opening abroad. The 007 pic opens Friday in North America theaters and this Thursday on IMAX screens here. The NYC special screening of Skyfall – a fundraiser for the Tribeca Film institute – will be held Monday. Sony Pictures Releasing International is at an all-time biggest $2.16 billion through today. It’s thanks in part to Skyfall and Resident Evil: Retribution, as well as Hotel Transylvania and the summer’s The Amazing Spider-Man and Men In Black 3. That passes SPRI’s previous best year of 2009 and $2.14B. Worldwide, the studio is at $3.6B moving towards its first ever $4B year. Presently, Sony Pictures is #1 in market share.

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As for this weekend’s Skyfall openings internationally:

- GERMANY $23.9M, biggest opening of 2012, +77% larger than Quantum Of Solace‘s and +88% bigger than Casino Royale‘s.

- ITALY $7.9M for biggest opening of a Hollywood film in 2012 and the 2nd biggest overall. It beat Quantum Of Solace opening by +95% and Casino Royale‘s by +85%.

- SPAIN $6.7 for 2nd biggest opening of the year, and +27% bigger than the opening of Quantum Of Solace and +73% more than Casino Royale‘s.

- SWITZERLAND $5.3M, record-setting as biggest opening in history there, breaking Quantum Of Solace’s old record.

- HOLLAND $4.4M, by far the biggest opening of the year there, almost 2½ times the previous best. The opening was +91% bigger than Quantum Of Solace‘s, +179% more than Casino Royale‘s.

- AUSTRIA $3.4M, more than double the previous biggest opening of 2012 and 2nd biggest of all time.

MEXICO $3.2M, INDIA $5.1M, INDONESIA $2.5M, MALAYSIA $2.5M, TAIWAN $2.5M, SINGAPORE $2.3M, PHILIPPINES $1.9M, HONG KONG $1.9M, THAILAND $1.8M.

The overseas records are a great indicator of how the Sam Mendes-directed pic will do at the North American box office. Hollywood expects this installment to top both 2008′s Quantum Of Solace which went on to gross $586M (£367.4M) worldwide and 2006′s Casino Royale which grossed $594.2M (£372.5M) making it the highest-grossing film in the Bond franchise (not adjusted for inflation or higher ticket prices). That includes the U.S., where all-in guesstimates top $215M – much better than Quantum Of Solace‘s $168.3M or Casino Royale’s $167.4M. Even better for the studios and filmmakers, Skyfall cost much less than both other films. Grammy multi-winner Adele sang the Bond theme. Daniel Craig reprises his role as 007, with Javier Bardem playing the villain Raoul Silva, and Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe as Bond girls. Mendes was the first Oscar-winner to direct a Bond pic. Meanwhile, Sony, MGM, and Eon are so pleased with Skyfall that its screenwriter John Logan already is writing the next two installments, Bond 24 and 25.

Related: IMAX Boasts 26% More James Bond ‘Skyfall’

Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.