LONDON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The new James Bond film, "Quantum of Solace," debuted in Britain on Friday to record one-day ticket sales of 4.94 million pounds ($8 million), distributor Columbia Pictures said on Saturday.
The total tops "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the previous record holder with an opening day haul of 4.025 million pounds ($6.5 million) in 2005, and it also beat the 2.9 million pounds ($4.72 million) first-day total for the last Bond flick, "Casino Royale" (2006), Columbia said.
In "Quantum of Solace," British super spy Bond (Daniel Craig) is on a mission across South America and Europe to stop an eco-terrorist from controlling precious natural resources, and he wants to learn why the woman he loved in "Casino Royale" betrayed him.
"Casino Royale," was a huge box office success with a global haul of $594 million.
Friday's British opening of "Quantum of Solace" in 542 theaters will be followed by a Nov. 14 debut of the film in the United States and Canada.
Columbia Pictures is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, the media wing of Japan's Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). (Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte, editing by Vicki Allen)
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