'Skyfall' adds an astonishing second weekend $156m, UK audiences stay strong

05-Nov-2012 • Skyfall

The records continue to tumble as "Skyfall" added an astonishing $156m in its second international weekend. The box-office total stands at $287m in just 10 days and major markets like the USA, Canada, China, Australia and Japan still to open.

"Skyfall" broke opening weekend and opening week records, but its strength holding over in to its second week is bound to get the statisticians checking the box office history books too. In the UK, it took an amazing $25.7m in its second weekend, down just 20% on its opening. Contrasted to the usual blockbuster shed of 50% of audiences in a second week, "Skyfall" holding 80% of business has beaten even the wildest predictions. The UK total after 10 days stands at $85.8m and has already overtaken "Quantum of Solace" and is fast catching up on "Casino Royale" ($106m in UK, which was earned over 2 months). Bond will overtake Batman for the biggest UK release in 2012 later this week.

Elsewhere in Europe, France added $14.3m in the second weekend to bring its total up to $30m, already beating "Casino Royale" and closing on "Quantum of Solace" records. "Skyfall" opened in Germany to $23.9m, which is the biggest in 2012 and 77% up on "Quantum". Italy opened with $7.9m and is also the biggest opening in 2012, up 95% on "Quantum". It didn't quite break 2012 records in Spain though, opening to $6.7m for the second biggest this year, up 27% on "Quantum". It became the biggest ever opening in Switzerland with a record $5.3m opening weekend. It also trounced 2012 openings in the Netherlands with $4.4m, more than 2.5 times the previous record and 91% up on "Quantum". Similarly in Austria, the film took $3.4m and doubled the previous 2012 record and is the second biggest opening in that country's history.

Other countries that opened this weekend in the rest of the world included: $3.2m in Mexico, $5.1m in India, $2.5m in Indonesia, $2.5m in Malaysia, $2.5m in Taiwan, $1.9m in Hong Kong and $1.8m in Thailand.

IMAX continues to add significant numbers to the film's takings with $4.3m this weekend on 132 screens worldwide.

The film will reach the half-way point of "Casino Royale"s record takings early this week, days before it opens in the USA and Canada, where a $100m opening is not out of the question. Other territories that have been kind to 007 recently such as Japan, Australia and China are still to come, too.