Skyfall opened this weekend, and the 23rd installment set the bar for James Bond films higher than ever in the franchise’s 50th anniversary year. Pulling in 87.8 million dollars nationwide over three days, the latest Bond chapter left Quantum of Solace in the dust–about 20 million dollars worth of dust–Solace opened in 2008 at $67.5 million. As the Bond franchise ages, it seems, more hype surrounds each film; the record for opening weekends reaches steadily higher with each debut.
Skyfall, which follows Bond as he pursues a threat against MI6, is enjoying massively positive reviews, earning a 91% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a straight “A” CinemaScore grade. But when interpreting box office success for the newest film compared to films throughout the 50 years of the franchise, inflation must be factored in (as a movie ticket in the 1960s didn’t cost upwards of 11 dollars). Similarly, the new movie premiered in 3,505 theaters nationwide, a number much higher than what Sean Connery’s Bond would have seen. The biggest Bond movie of all time, 1965’s Thunderball, earned over $500 million in its run after adjustment for inflation, according to Hollywood.com. The demand for that film was so high that some movie theaters held showings 24 hours a day.
At this rate, Skyfall is projected to be the first Bond film to break $200 million at the domestic box office, again not counting for inflation. This is Daniel Craig’s third time taking on Bond’s persona, and the steady climb of revenue since 2006 is a mark of success for the sixth actor to play Bond–and a signifier of the British spy’s timeless appeal.
No other movie dared to go up against Bond in his opening weekend, and last week’s previous top-spot holder, Disney’s animated video game nostalgia trip Wreck-It-Ralph, was bumped to number two in the wake of Skyfall’s record-smashing weekend. James Bond probably could have had an unmatched grip on the number one box office spot for a good amount of time, but with the opening of the final segment of Twilight looming just a few days away, Bond’s reign might be shaken (but not stirred). Still, the franchise’s magnanimity is one that has endured half a century, and, unlike a truncated series like Twilight, shows no sign of stopping.
