Thursday, December 12, 2024

Box Office: “Spectre” Falls Short of “Skyfall” Opening by $15 Million But Beats “Quantum of Solace”

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James Bond is still a financial boon to everyone involved, but it’s going to be impossible to beat “Skyfall.” The new 007 film “Spectre” made $73 million this weekend, falling short of expectations and very short of “Skyfall”‘s $88 million opening weekend.

As I said yesterday the difference is Adele. She had a hit record leading up the former film’s release which excited the audience. Sam Smith put them to sleep. Believe me, as much I love Judi Dench, her absence from “Spectre” is not what brushed off that extra audience.

And they were “extra,” too from the Adele phenom. A regular Bond movie like “Quantum of Solace” made $68 million on its opening weekend in 2008. “Casino Royale” had a $40 million opening in 2006 when Craig was introduced as Bond.

Other than with Bond movies, Craig isn’t definitely a movie star who can open or carry films. On the other hand, he’s only had a couple of instances to prove himself– with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “Cowboys and Aliens.”

Each of those made $100 million, but they weren’t breakthroughs. He’s had some real clunkers, too. But Craig fancies himself a “serious” actor who’s returning to Broadway soon for the third time. To finance that dream he’ll have to do at least one more Bond film, then look for interesting character work a la Harrison Ford. He is a good actor — excellent in “Munich” and “Layer Cake” — so there’s a lot of potential.

Anyway, financially we don’t have to worry about him.

 

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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