`Quantum` cleans up at Hong Kong box office

15-Nov-2008 • Quantum Of Solace

It was a week of few surprises at the Hong Kong box office with MGM/Sony's killer, "Quantum of Solace," slaying the competition to take top spot on the charts with $1.14 million from a wide, 38-screen release - reports Variety.

The latest Bond outing unseated Japanese musical film "Detroit Metal City," which fell to No. 2 with $334,000 from 21 screens.

At No. 3, Disney's "High School Musical 3" showed strong legs in its third week of release with $191,000 on 34 screens.

The week's two other premieres, "The Women" and Hong Kong indie film "High Noon" took fifth and ninth place, respectively. The Meg Ryan-Annette Bening ensemble piece grossed $53,800 from 14 prints for distributor Golden Scene.

"High Noon," a helming debut by Heiward Mak with no marquee Hong Kong stars, managed $6,500 on one print. Film was also the only local release to make it into the top 10.

Arrival of "Solace" also prompted large week-on-week drops for several recent releases. The Ben Stiller starrer "Tropic Thunder" saw an 83% fall in grosses in its third week, ending at No. 6 with $35,500 from 27 screens.

Similar drops were registered by fantasy film "City of Ember" and American indie pic "Smart People," at Nos. 7 and 10, respectively. "City of Ember" took in $20,500 in its second week of release, down 81% from its opening week, while "Smart People," also in its second week, saw an 88% fall in grosses to end with $4,900.

Overall, the emergence of Daniel Craig's second Bond pic boosted box office takings to slightly under $2 million but failed to lift the recently depressed total above the weekly mean.