Pomp As New James Bond’s Film, Spectre, Premiere In Lagos

The new James Bond’s film, Spectre, which premiered amidst pomp and panache at the Sliverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday, hits the cinema across the country on Friday, November 6.

The grand premiere attracted dignitaries such as, Mr. Paul Arkwright, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Cosmos Jn. Maduka, Executive Director, Cosharis Land Rover/Jaguar, Mr. Chris Maskell, Director, United Kingdom Trade Investment, Mrs. Ufoma Umukoro, GM, Cosharis Land Rover/Jaguar, Mrs. Clementine Vervelde, wife of Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, and Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce, Vice President, Silverbird Group.

Paul Arkwright British High Commisioner to Nigeria

Others are, Mr. Paschal Dozie, Chairman, MTN/Founder, Diamond Bank, Mrs. Bolanle Austin-Peters, MD/CEO, Terrakulture, Mr. Franco Maria Maggi, Marketing Director, NB Plc., Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB Plc, Mr. Edem Vindah, Corporate Media/Brand PR Manager, NB Plc, Mr. Kelvin Orifa, Experienced Market Segment Manager, MTN, star actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ms Mo Abudu, MD/CEO, EbonyLife, Ms Rosana George-Hart, GM, Silverbird Film Distribution, and actor Joseph Benjamin.

Rosana Hart, GM, Silverbird Film Distribution Ltd

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde

Produced by Eon Productions and distributed in Nigeria by Sliverbird Film Distribution Ltd, Spectre, the 24th James Bond adventure, features Daniel Craig in his fourth performance as James Bond, and Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, with the film making the character’s re-introduction into the series.

Spectre has shattered box office records in nearly every market in which it has been released, led by a historic performance in the United Kingdom. In total in the six released territories, the film raked in $80.4 million, including $67.7 million from SPRI territories and $12.7 million from territories in which MGM is distributing.

In the UK, the film opened to an estimated £41.7 million ($63.8 million USD) in its first seven days of release, securing new records for the biggest opening of all time in UK box office history.

Spectre took the opening record from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which was also released on a Monday to £23.882 million. It also achieved a new record for the highest seven-day gross in UK box office history, overtaking the last James Bond film, Skyfall.

The film continues the longest running and most successful film franchise in cinema history. The film opened in 647 cinemas and on 2,500 screens, making it the widest release of all time in the UK and Ireland. The UK wasn’t alone in shattering box office records, as nearly every releasing market saw it make history as the biggest box office opening of all-time.

In the Netherlands, Spectre took in 3.3 million Euro ($3.7 million USD), surpassing the record set by Skyfall and bringing its income to $3.9 million including previews.

In the Nordic region, markets distributed by MGM, Spectre took in a total of $12.7 million USD, setting new opening records in Finland and Norway, both surpassing Skyfall – Finland took in 2.35 million Euro ($2.63 million USD), and Norway 24.4 million krone ($2.88 million USD). The film also set a new record in Denmark for the biggest three-day opening of all time, as Spectre took in 28.1 million krone ($4.21 million USD), also surpassing Skyfall.  In Sweden, Spectre took in 24.95 million krone ($2.97 million USD), a spectacular result that is 30 per cent over the opening of Skyfall.

Spectre has also set a new IMAX record, recording the highest per-location average in IMAX history as the first film ever to top a $100,000 per-location average, with $105,000 in 47 IMAX locations.

Gary Barber, MGM Chairman/CEO, said: “What an incredible thrill it is for us at MGM to see how James Bond continues to deliver such excitement to his fans. This record-breaking support from UK audiences for what is our 24th outing is nothing short of.

The film narrates how James Bond (Daniel Craig) stumbles on a cryptic message from the past that sends him on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as Spectre.

Meanwhile, back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), daughter of his old nemesis, Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of Spectre. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot.

As Bond ventures towards the heart of Spectre, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz.

Written by John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Jez Butterworth, and directed by Sam Mendes as his second James Bond film following Skyfall, Spectre is the second most expensive film ever made, with a budget of over $300 million.