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Tag: Skyfall

  • Bond’s Skyfall grosses Rs 275 mn in 4-day opening weekend

    Bond’s Skyfall grosses Rs 275 mn in 4-day opening weekend

    MUMBAI: Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment‘s 23rd Bond film Skyfall has grossed approximately Rs 275 million in its four-day opening weekend in India.

    This makes the second biggest opening weekend ever for a Hollywood film in India and the highest for a non-3D film, Sony Pictures India said.

    The film was released on 1 November with 907 prints in four languages — English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu — and in 2D and IMAX formats.

    Said Sony Pictures India managing director Kercy Daruwala, “Skyfall has not only continued India‘s fascination with the James Bond franchise, but has also expanded it. The anticipation for the film has been unprecedented, going into high gear with the celebrations of the 50th year of the film franchise earlier in October. Extremely positive reviews and word-of-mouth will ensure that the film will have a long and successful run at the box-office and garner repeat viewings as well.”

    Skyfall‘s weekend had the best opening for a Bond film in India so far, exceeding other big box office performers Quantum of Solace (2008) and Casino Royale (2006). Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale posted lifetime gross box office of Rs 444 million and Rs 403 million respectively. It also posted the biggest ever Thursday opening for any Hollywood title with Rs 65 million.

    In Skyfall, Bond‘s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under an attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

  • Skyfall grosses $ 156 mn from 56 destinations

    Skyfall grosses $ 156 mn from 56 destinations

    MUMBAI: Skyfall, the 23rd installment of the multi-billion-dollar James Bond franchise, expanded its offshore run by 56 markets and grossed an overwhelming $156 million.
    Markets handled by distributors, of the film, Sony delivered $139 million of the total with licensees of co-distributor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer raking in $17 million. IMAX reported that its weekend take at 132 locations in 36 territories was $4.3 million.
    In just 10 days of its overseas release, Skyfall, the third Bond outing, has made a whopping $287 million. This propelled Sony International to its best year ever on the foreign circuit with total 2012 box office of $2.160 billion.
    Skyfall‘s weekend, take this time, nearly doubled the $78.6 million opening foreign weekend gross last round from 6,354 locations in 25 markets, is the third highest of 2012 surpassed only by the offshore weekend revenues logged in late April and early May by Marvel/Disney‘s The Avengers.
    A No. 1 German opening delivered $23.9 million, which Sony said was the market‘s biggest-grossing 2012 debut. The U.K.‘s second weekend take was $25.7 million, lifting the 10-day cume there to $85.8 million. France kicked in $14.3 million for a two-round market cume of $30 million.
    Italy launched with $7.9 million, a market record for a Hollywood title this year. Russia came up with $5.2 million in Skyfall‘s second round there, pushing the market cume to $16.1 million. Openings in Switzerland, India, Holland and Mexico generated $5.3 million, $5.1 million, $4.4 million and $3.2 million, respectively.
    An MGM/Eon/Danjaq co-production, directed by Sam Mendes and filmed in the UK, Turkey, China and France, Skyfall is well on track to become the biggest Bond grosser ever on the foreign circuit.

  • Craig trashes report of two-part Bond film

    Craig trashes report of two-part Bond film

    MUMBAI: British Daniel Craig has trashed reports of a possible two-part James Bond film after Skyfall. To prove his point, he has categorically said that there is no way a Bond film could be divided into two parts.
    “No, I don‘t know where that‘s come from. It‘s impossible to do a two parter, I heard that someone was talking about that we‘re doing a two parter, but that‘s the first I‘ve heard about it,” Craig said in a statement.
    “We can only do them one at a time, they take six months to shoot. You can‘t write one movie thinking about the next. All we‘re trying to do is get the next one sorted out and it‘ll stand on its own and if I‘m able I‘ll do another one after that,” he added.
    The 44-year-old has played 007 in the last three installments of the British spy film franchise.
    Rumors that Bond 24 and Bond 25 would present a storyline that crosses in two successive films first sparked when writer John Logan was confirmed to work on two more Bond films.
    The twenty-fourth installment will likely begin filming at Pinewood Studios next year and the film is projected for a fall 2014 release.

  • Thirty minutes of ads precede Skyfall screening

    Thirty minutes of ads precede Skyfall screening

    MUMBAI: James Bond fans in the UK, who are going to see the latest venture Skyfall at theatres are being forced to sit through as long as 30 minutes of advertisements before the screening of the film.
    The 23rd Bond film, which released in the UK on 26 October, is being used as a medium to promote a number of brands with a number of commercials and previews being shown long before the opening credits, it has been reported.
    Five of the advertisements feature the secret agent, including ones for Heineken, Omega watches and a Bond aftershave.
    And even before the opening theme, the spy, played by Daniel Craig, appears in an action sequence with the camera lingering on his Omega watch.
    This has prompted many fans to complain on Twitter.
    “Product placement aplenty and Adele hasn‘t even sung yet,” said one.
    Another wrote, “Wow, sickening number of Bond product placement ads. Am sick of 007 and Skyfall hasn‘t even started yet!”
    Many grew even unhappier once the film began. They were irked by seeing Bond enjoying Heineken instead of his trademark Martini and by the frequent use of Sony products. Heineken had a product placement deal for Craig‘s previous two Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace but this is the first time he is seen drinking the beer.
    Though it has not been confirmed how much the Skyfall deal is worth, but before agreeing to it the producers had reportedly already raised 29 million pounds from product placement deals almost a third of the film‘s budget.

  • Skyfall tipped to be the most successful of all Bond films

    Skyfall tipped to be the most successful of all Bond films

    MUMBAI: The latest 007 film Skyfall is set to be the most successful James Bond film in the 50-year history of the franchise.
    Having met with universal praise following its preview, it is predicted to rake in more than $1 billion at the box office.
    Experts are of the opinion that the stunts in the film are some of the best ever seen in a Bond film. One critic even wrote that the dramatic opening sequence should merit an Oscar in itself, it is understood.
    The early signs of success will be welcomed by Skyfall‘s producers after work on the film was suspended in 2010 when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, its studio, fell into severe financial difficulties.
    The film, Daniel Craig‘s third appearance as 007, received four and five-star reviews recently in the Daily Telegraph, Times, and Daily Mail as well as in the Empire magazine.

  • Skyfall to release on 26 October

    Skyfall to release on 26 October

    MUMBAI: Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the latest James Bond film Skyfall, have announced that the 23rd installment of the Bond series will release in UK internationally on 26 October. The film will be distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Releasing.

    Prior to its release film will premiere will at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 23 October and the event will be graced by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall on 23 October.

    In Skyfall, Bond‘s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
    On the request of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, the premiere will benefit the charities that support former and serving members of the three intelligence agencies (the Secret Intelligence Service, the Security Service and GCHQ). His Royal Highness is Royal Patron of the Intelligence Services.

    Commented Wilson and Broccoli, “We are thrilled that His Royal Highness Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall have agreed to attend the World Premiere of our latest James Bond film, and are pleased this event will help raise funds to support The Prince‘s chosen charities.”

    The premiere will be attended by the film‘s lead actors Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Albert Finney and Ben Whishaw, and director Sam Mendes.

  • Daniel Craig signs two more Bond films

    Daniel Craig signs two more Bond films

    MUMBAI: Daniel Craig is set to become the longest serving James Bond on screen as he reportedly signed two more movies in the James Bond franchise.
    The nest Bond offering, Skyfall is Craig‘s third film as the protagonist spy James Bond since he replaced Pierce Brosnan in 2006 as 007 in Casino Royale. His second film in the role was The Quantum of Solace released in 2008. Skyfall hits theatres on 9 November.
    It has also been reported that Sony has re-upped its deal to co-finance the film with MGM.
    The film received a huge promotional push during the London Olympics, with Craig participating in a taped sketch with Queen Elizabeth during the opening ceremony.

  • ‘The Amazing Spiderman’ and Bond film ‘Skyfall’ to release in India ahead of US

    ‘The Amazing Spiderman’ and Bond film ‘Skyfall’ to release in India ahead of US

    NEW DELHI: In a rare move, Sony Pictures India is releasing the much-awaited 3D ‘The Amazing Spiderman’ in India on 29 June, almost a week before its American and global release on 3 July.

    The film will be released in India in English and three dubbed language versions: Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. A total of over 1000 prints will be released in India alone.

    The film stars India’s Irrfan along with Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans.

    Meanwhile, well-known films like ‘Men in Black3’ in 3D with the original pairing of Will Smith-Tommy Lee Jones and addition of Josh Brolin is set for release on 25 May.

    A remake of the 1991 blockbuster Total Recall with Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel is slated for release on 3 August.

    Later in the year will see releases like the Adam Sandler comedy That’s My Boy, high octane action film Premium Rush starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, claymation comedy The Pirates! Band of Misfits starring Hugh Grant, followed by the return of another big franchise with Resident Evil: Retribution (3D, worldwide 14 September), Here Comes the Boom starring Kevin James and Salma Hayek; and 3D animated film Hotel Transylvania starring Adam Sandler and teen star Selena Gomez, from cult animation director Genndy Tartakovsky known for such Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls.

    The year ends with the 23 film in the Bond franchise titled Skyfall (releasing one week before the United States on 2 November) and Sparkle, starring Jordin Sparks and featuring the last film appearance of the late great Whitney Houston. 2013 is another cracker year with Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio, sci-fi drama Elysium starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, Captain Philips starring Tom Hanks, After Earth starring the father-son pairing of Jaden and Will Smith and follow-ups of superhit films The Smurfs 2 and Grown Ups 2.

    “After completing 75 years as a studio in India, 31 of which I have personally been part of, I can say without a doubt that this is our biggest and most exciting line-up ever with tried and tested record-breaking performance at the Indian box office,” said Sony Pictures India MD Kercy Daruwala. “On the whole, we have an ideal mix of the biggest blockbuster action movies as well as comedy, drama and family films with an arsenal of great directors and top rung stars.”

    “Our line-up of strong franchise films with mass appeal and already established high brand recall is ideal for unique and exciting co-promotional activities with like-minded brands, both local and international,” said Divya Pathak, Director – Marketing. “Many brands are choosing to partner with our blockbusters because of the incomparable scale of these movies.”

  • James Bond’s Skyfall on 2 November

    James Bond’s Skyfall on 2 November

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures India will release the latest James Bond film Skyfall on 2 November.

    Skyfall, the 23rd film in the James Bond series, will be Daniel Craig‘s third film as Ian Fleming‘s James Bond. Also in the cast are Javier Barden, Ralph Fiennes, Berenice Marlohe, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw with Albert Finney and Judi Dench .

    Made under the banner of Albert R Brocoli‘s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn -Mayer and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the movie will initially release in UK and Ireland on 26 October.

  • MGM closes $500 mn revolving loan

    MGM closes $500 mn revolving loan

    MUMBAI: Ending its bankruptcy, Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) has closed a $500 million revolving credit facility.

    The revolving credit facility replaces a term loan and a smaller revolving facility the studio received as part of a pre-packaged bankruptcy in which its lenders exchanged $4 billion in outstanding debt for equity valued at about $2 billion.

    Announcing the Studio’s endeavour, MGM co-CEO and co-chairmen Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum said, “A year ago MGM was in bankruptcy and to receive this oversubscribed facility just one year later is proof positive that through careful and efficient business decisions, we have earned the faith of the financial community.”

    The credit facility will be used to pay up debts and also to develop the film and TV businesses that will include films being made under a partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment including 21 Jump Steet, the next James Bond movie Skyfall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again (in partnership with Warrner Bros.) and GI Joe: Retaliation (with Paramount Pictures).

    Other films in development include remakes of Robocop, Carrie, Poltergiest and Teen Wolf, along with Punk Farm and Vikings.

    The restructuring of MGM was a long process that began in May 2009 when Moelis & Co, an investment bank, was hired to advice management. In August the same year, Stephen Cooper replaced CEO Harry Sloan who was said to be a turnaround expert.

    MGM was having problems meeting $300 million in annual interest payments. Moelis & Co. had to work out the bankruptcy with more than 140 creditors. The closing of the deal will trigger a payment of over $9 million to Moelis.

    The new loan was led by JP Morgan Chase, which reportedly put up $75 million of the new credit facility. The rest came from Deutsche Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank of Canada, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo, CIT Bank, Union Bank, City National Bank and OneWest Bank.