06/12/2012 - Bond film beats Avatar to become highest grosser of all time

Sam Mendes’ Skyfall [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile] is now officially the highest grossing film of all time in the UK. The film returned to pole position at the box office in its sixth week of release. The film has powered its way to £94.28 million, easing past previous record holder, James Cameron’s Avatar, that had a lifetime gross of £94.03 million in the UK. Now it remains to be seen if James Bond can become the first ever to touch £100 million in the UK.

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said, “We’re overwhelmed with gratitude to the cinema-going audiences in the UK who have made Skyfall the highest-grossing film of all time. We are very proud of this film and thank everybody, especially Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes, who have contributed to its success.”

Skyfall opened October 26 in the UK on 587 screens. Incredibly, 40 days on, the film has shed only 55 screens and is playing at 532 sites. The film has grossed more than $871 million worldwide so far and looks set to breach the billion mark.

Mike Newell’s Great Expectations [+see also:
trailer
film profile], and Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Wheatley
film profile], the new British releases of the week, opened on 433 and 92 screens respectively. Great Expectations collected £544,636 and Sightseers £185,535.