James Bond can break out the Dom Perignon after returning to theatres with a vengeance at the weekend, blowing away box office rivals with $87.8-million in ticket sales for the US and Canadian debut of Skyfall. It is the biggest opening in the franchise's history.
The best North American opening for the 50-year-old Bond franchise adds to a strong tally of $428.6-million for Skyfall in other countries. Globally, the movie starring Daniel Craig has so far earned $518.6-million, distributor Sony Pictures said.
Skyfall trumped the Walt Disney animated movie Wreck-It Ralph , the story of a video game character who destroys everything in his path. The family film topped last week's charts. It grabbed $33.1-million from Friday through to Sunday and slipped to second place.
Flight , starring Denzel Washington, about an airline captain who saves a plane from crashing, pulled in $15.1-million to finish third.
The last Bond film, Quantum of Solace in 2008, opened with a then-record $68-million at North American theatres.