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It got more than a quantum of box office. Quanta, so to speak.

Kim Hollis: Quantum of Solace, the 22nd James Bond movie, did $67.5 million in its opening weekend. How is it that it did so much better than all of the previous 007 films?

Tim Briody: I don't have a specific answer for this, but I really don't feel all that shocked by this performance, and I blame The Dark Knight. That rewrote the rules for what a film, especially a venerable and very well liked franchise, can pull in seemingly out of nowhere.

Pete Kilmer: As successful as the first Craig Bond film was...I still think a lot of people put off watching it until DVD. They obviously came out this weekend to see the new one.

Scott Lumley: I think Tim and Pete have nailed this one entirely. I know I personally put off watching Casino Royale until it came out on DVD just because I thought that Craig was a weak choice as Bond and I was especially unimpressed about them remaking Casino Royale. Of course, when I watched he DVD I realized that I was a massive tool for not giving this a chance. I think a lot of filmgoers this weekend remember how impressed they were by the previous film and decided to see this one early.





If I had to add anything, I would also say that the trailers did a very good job of selling this film, which is even more impressive considering the goofy name the producers saddled this with. Somebody in the marketing department deserves a cookie.

Eric Hughes: It simply comes down to a heightened level of anticipation for the next Bond movie after the brilliance that was Casino Royale. At least for me, Quantum of Solace, poor title and all, was the first Bond movie I was actually anxious to go and see. I was ecstatic on Thursday when I was unexpectedly given the opportunity to see an advanced screening. I can't tell you the last time I was that giddy about seeing a new movie in theaters.

Additionally, people had to be interested in seeing the franchise's first true sequel. Quantum of Solace smartly recognized Bond with an actual memory instead of starting from scratch with each new film.

Brandon Scott: I am with Eric to some extent, from the standpoint of actually kind of being interested in Quantum. That being said, truth is, I have never seen Royale, nor many of the previous Bond films. They have all been too ridiculous for me to consider. I like the casting of Daniel Craig, which has put me on the precipice of taking a look at both of his entries, though. I think the number came in about what I anticipated. I think this had a good trailer, an established franchise, and it even ha(d)(s) me interested in checking out the film. The revenge aspect of it seems particularly cool. Now if they can drop the horrific Judi Dench and up the sex quotient, we might have something!

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