'Skyfall' is Biggest Film in UK History, Eclipsing 'Avatar'

UPDATE: "Skyfall" is now the UK's biggest film in history, eclipsing "Avatar"'s £94 million with £94.27 million in 40 days (particularly staggering given James Cameron's sci-fi blockbuster got to that haul after 11 months, and with increased 3-D ticket prices).

EARLIER: It hasn't even opened stateside yet. But Bond 23, "Skyfall" is breaking box office records worldwide. Sony and MGM are chortling as "Skyfall" grossed $156 million this weekend, bringing the ten-day overseas total to $287 million. Sony’s markets earned an estimated $139 million for the weekend and MGM’s licensees estimated $17 million.

Thanks to "Skyfall," Sony Pictures Releasing International has surpassed previous records to boast its all-time biggest year, with $2.16 billion through Sunday. SPRI's previous best year was 2009 with $2.14 billion.

"Skyfall"'s opening in Germany, $23.9 million, was the biggest opening of 2012, 77% bigger than the openining of "Quantum of Solace" and 88% bigger than "Casino Royale."

Italy launched with $7.9 million, which was the biggest opening of a Hollywood film in 2012 and the second-biggest overall, beating the opening of "Quantum" by 95% and "Casino" by 85%. 

Spain opened to $6.7 million, which is the second-biggest opening of the year behind J.A. Bayona's phenomenal "The Impossible."  It was 27% bigger than the opening of "Quantum" and 73% more than "Casino."

Switzerland had a record-setting opening of $5.3 million, the biggest opening in history there, breaking "Quantum of Solace"’s old record.

Holland opened with $4.4 which was by far the biggest opening of the year there, almost 2 ½ times the previous best "The Dark Knight."  The opening of "Skyfall" was 91% bigger than that of "Quantum," 179% more than "Casino."

Austria launched with a gigantic $3.4 million, more than double the previous biggest opening of 2012 ("Ted"), the country's second-biggest opening of all time behind "The Lord Of The Rings: Return of the King" in 2003.