Australia release date for `Quantum of Solace` brought forward one week

06-Sep-2008 • Quantum Of Solace

It was Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman vs James Bond. A clash between two blockbuster movies, "Australia" and the new 007 outing "Quantum Of Solace", threatened to squeeze opening weekend audiences, reports SMH

But after the biggest dispute about rival releases Down Under for years, the distributors of the new Bond film have blinked. Sony executives have brought forward the release of Quantum Of Solace by a week to avoid direct competition with Baz Luhrmann's romantic epic. They had been fuming at 20th Century Fox's decision to move Australia to the same weekend.

While that might be a minor issue for filmgoers, the date changes reflect the importance of opening weekend business for two of the biggest movies heading for cinemas this year.

Quantum Of Solace now opens on November 19, with Australia out on November 26.

Cinema executives were relieved yesterday, given that ticket sales of more than $70 million are at stake.

"I don't think it makes an awful lot of sense to have two movies of that size opening against one another," said the managing director of the Greater Union cinema chain, Ross Entwistle. "It makes for a healthier market if there's a gap between movies of that scale."