New James Bond film Spectre was released on Monday and is already breaking box office records. This is big news for a franchise that has always been hugely popular but was never considered much of a box office behemoth. But the 24th film to feature 007 has already smashed the highest opening day box office in the UK.
Now, there could be a number of reasons behind Bond’s immediate success. And it spells good news for other emerging movie industries such as Nollywood. You can find out more about Nollywood by checking out Buzz Nigeria stories on the industry. But we’ll talk more about this later.
For now, the focus is on Spectre, and how the film looks set to surpass Skyfall and become the highest grossing instalment in the series so far. Let’s look at some of the potential reasons behind that.
Anticipation
There is huge anticipation, as there always is surrounding any Bond film. The difference here is that Spectre’s predecessor, Skyfall, was considered a turning point. Bond had begun to stagnate as a character under Pierce Brosnan. Daniel Craig came in and reinvented the role in Casino Royale. But that was followed up by the underwhelming and clumsy Quantum of Solace. Bond needed a big delivery next, and Skyfall managed it. Needless to say, the media frenzy surrounding Spectre has grown even more.
Daniel Craig’s Last Bond
Another reason we could attribute to the success of Spectre is the fact that it’s Daniel Craig’s last Bond film. He has been credited as portraying a darker, more brooding Bond. Craig’s fourth and final outing as James Bond has certainly whetted audience appetites. They hope he will go out with a bang, and it looks like that could well be the case.
Acclaimed Director
We also have to look to the director’s chair for another piece of the puzzle. Acclaimed director Sam Mendes helmed the hugely successful Skyfall. And afterwards told Empire magazine that he would not return for the next instalment. However, in 2013 it was announced that the Academy Award-winning director would return. And this has excited people who were delighted with what he managed to provide with Skyfall.
What Does This Mean?
The immediate success of Spectre bodes well for other film industries. It is a British film, with a British director, and British production company. It is a breath of fresh air from the usual Hollywood domination. This proves to other industries that it’s possible to have mainstream success. Perhaps they may look to Spectre as an example of what can be done using home-grown talent. This has been further compounded by the success of Game of Thrones invigorating the Irish film industry.
Of course, James Bond already has a legacy and the involvement of people with Hollywood pedigree. But the fact Bond remains such a British icon helps a lot with the status and success of the movies. There’s no reason why Nollywood and Bollywood can’t enjoy the same kinds of success with their productions.
