(Bloomberg) -- “No Time to Die,” the newest James Bond movie, opened as the No. 1 film in North American theaters this weekend but failed to top the pandemic-era opening weekend record set earlier this month.
- The film, from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Eon Productions, generated $55.2 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, Comscore Inc. said Monday. That's below the $90 million debut of Sony's “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” which opened on Oct. 1.
- The box office take for the latest British super spy picture wasn't as strong as some were predicting. Researcher Boxoffice Pro had forecast $84 million going into the weekend. MGM said its own projections were for $55 million to $60 million.
Key Insights
- “This is the first real movie that was served up for the adult audience in quite some time,” said Erik Lomis, president of distribution at United Artists Releasing, which distributed the film domestically. A company survey found “No Time to Die” was the first movie seen in a theaters since the pandemic by 25% of the audience. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Geetha Ranganathan said the results suggest older fans may still be reluctant to return to cinemas, while “Venom” may have drawn some theatergoers away from the Bond picture.
Read more: James Bond Leads Movie Slate Making October New July
- Other October releases potentially giving theaters a boost include Universal's “Halloween Kills” on Oct. 15 and “Dune,” from Warner Bros., the following week. “This is the month that the industry has really been waiting for,” said Gitesh Pandya, editor of BoxOfficeGuru.com. “You have not just one but multiple tentpole films on the calendar.”
- “No Time to Die” is billed as the last Bond movie for Daniel Craig. It also stars Ana de Armas as a CIA agent who aids the spy, and Rami Malek as his newest villain. About 84% of critics recommended the movie, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
- It's the first Bond movie shot with an Imax widescreen camera. Its release in 4,407 locations domestically makes it the most widely distributed film of the pandemic.
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