QUANTUM OF SOLACE comes a week early in the U.K.
In the age of piracy, MADAGASCAR 2 and the event status that comes with simultaneous releases, it's strange why the U.S. hasn't moved their release too.
In a strange move, the next James Bond adventure - the strangely titled Quantum of Solace (a title that was a mystery to it's screenwriter Paul Haggis) has moved from a Nov. 7th opening to Oct 31st in the U.K say Variety. This is one week before it was originally set to open and it's one week before it plays in the U.S. Other European countries such as France and Belgium are also expected to get the movie a few days early. Unlike Casino Royale, the movie will not open on a simultaneous release between the two English language nations.
Which is bizarre really because Bond will go up against Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa in the U.S, where it could have gone opposite the always Stateside dud director Guy Ritchie and his Rock'N'Rolla if it moved. Doesn't history tell them anything? Madagascar made a whopping $47.2 million in the Summer of 2005 and the animated movie Happy Feet beat out Casino Royale by $1 million in the Box Office stakes in 2006 when they were released opposite each other. Whilst Guy Ritchie has never managed to secure a release above 200 theatres in the U.S. Sony should have pitched their claim for that date in the U.S. I can't understand why they haven't moved it, especially in the era where a pirated cam copy will most likely make it's way onto the web just hours after it's release.