Paris Attacks:‘Spectre’Prevails in France Despite Cinema Closures
The 24th James Bond installment opened to $14.6m, including previews.
Sam Mendes’ ‘Spectre’ is doing big business in France, despite the devastating Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that resulted in cinemas in the capital city closing their doors for much of the weekend.
The 24th installment in the iconic James Bond film franchise, opening Wednesday in France, grossed N2.9 billion ($14.6 million) through Sunday (that includes N398 million ($2 million) in previews from last weekend). The film, from Sony, MGM and Eon Productions, returns Daniel Craig for the fourth time as 007.
In 2012, Skyfall opened to N2 billion ($10.5 million) in France, although it debuted on a Friday.
In Paris, most theatres closed Saturday afternoon following the deadly attacks Friday night. Some locations began opening Sunday, while others remained shuttered.
One cinema that reopened its doors was The Grand Rex, which is hosting an exclusive engagement of Disney and Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur a week ahead of its U.S. and European premiere.
All told, ‘Spectre’ earned a massive N30.4 billion ($152.6 million) overseas this weekend for an early foreign total of N82.2 billion ($413.1 million) and global haul of N108.2 billion ($543.8 million). It also opened in China this weekend to a record-breaking N9.5 billion ($48 million), the biggest three-debut in history for a U.S. 2D film.
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