Skyfall has shattered records in the UK to emerge as the number one film at the box office.
Daniel Craig’s third outing as James Bond delivered ticket sales north of £20 million, making it the highest-grossing opener of 2012 ahead of The Avengers (£15 million) and The Dark Knight Rises (£14 million).
Skyfall is also the highest-grossing bow for a Daniel Craig 007 film, besting Casino Royale‘s £13 million and Quantum of Solace‘s £15 million.
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted falls down a place to number two with £2.8 million, while Taken 2 charts at number three with £1 million. Paranormal Activity 4 and Hotel Transylvania round out the top five.
Elsewhere, the chart’s only other new entry is Ice Age: Continental Drift, which climbs back up to number ten with £102,952 as schools break for half-term.
The UK box office top ten in full:
1. (-) Skyfall – £20,180,369
2. (1) Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted – £2,803,874
3. (3) Taken 2 – £1,004,463
4. (2) Paranormal Activity 4 – £792,342
5. (4) Hotel Transylvania – £782,340
6. (7) Sinister – £310,408
7. (6) Frankenweenie – £274,780
8. (5) Looper – £221,768
9. (9) Beasts of the Southern Wild – £117,972
10. (-) Ice Age: Continental Drift – £102,952
Source: Rentrak