Skyfall tops UK all-time box office

Daniel Craig had his third outing as the suave secret service agent 007 in Skyfall

The latest James Bond film, Skyfall has become the highest-grossing movie in UK box office history after just 40 days.

To date, the 23rd Bond adventure has earned £94.3m in the UK, beating the previous record holder, Avatar, which grossed £94m in 11 months.

Directed by Sam Mendes, Skyfall stars Daniel Craig in his third outing as Ian Fleming's suave spy, 007.

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were "overwhelmed with gratitude" to cinema-goers.

"We are very proud of this film and thank everybody, especially Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes, who have contributed to its success," they said in a statement.

Skyfall opened in 587 cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 26 October, and is still on general release.

Earnings versus attendance

In terms of most attended films in the UK, Gone With the Wind still tops the list, with an estimated attendance of 35m, according to the British Film Institute.

It is followed by The Sound of Music with an audience of 30m and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at 28m.

The BFI said that, while figures for Skyfall have not yet been adjusted for inflation, it should be noted that Avatar took 90% of its box office receipts from the higher priced 3D and IMAX screenings.

Skyfall has shown at a limited number of IMAX screens but was not shot in 3D, which may indicate a higher audience than that of Avatar.

Globally, the film has earned $870m (£540m) in box office sales, trumping both Casino Royale in 2006 and Quantum of Solace in 2008, which both achieved $599m (£372m).