'Skyfall' Becomes Biggest U.K. Box Office Success

2:30 AM PST 12/5/2012 by Stuart Kemp

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The 23rd James Bond installment hits $151.8 million after 40 days on release, surpassing "Avatar" total U.K. box office of $151.3 million.

LONDON – The 23rd installment in the James Bond franchise Skyfall, starring Daniel Craig as 007 cemented its place in the U.K. record books by becoming the highest grossing film of all time here.

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Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment are heralding the fact Skyfall has now gunned down £94.3 million ($151.8 million) at the U.K. box office after 40 days on release.

The box office tally means the Bond adventure has now overtaken the record previously held by Avatar which had a lifetime gross of £94 million ($151.3 million) during eleven months on release in U.K. cinemas.

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Skyfall continues the longest running and most successful franchise in movie history and opened in 587 cinemas across the U.K. and Ireland on Oct. 26, and is still on general release.

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were "overwhelmed with gratitude to the cinema-going audiences in the U.K. who have made Skyfall the highest grossing film of all time."

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The producer pair name-checked Craig and director Sam Mendes for contributing to the movie's success.

MGM chairman and CEO Gary Barber said: "I am incredibly proud of the amazing heights to which this film continues to soar and wish to again congratulate all involved on reaching such a tremendous milestone."

Sony Pictures Releasing U.K. managing director Peter Taylor added: "It seems particularly fitting in 2012 that the latest James Bond adventure should become the highest grossing movie ever marking the fiftieth anniversary of one of our truly iconic cultural characters in record breaking style."

Craig returns for his third outing as Ian Fleming’s 007 to find his loyalty to M tested as her past comes back to haunt her.

The film is from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Directed by Sam Mendes, Skyfall is written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan.