Daniel Craig's third outing as James Bond in Skyfall has already secured a positive critical response, and now the inevitable commercial success has ensued. 

Ahead of its North American debut, Skyfall has grossed $96.5 million in less than a week, and it'll break the $100m barrier by Thursday, experts suggest. But it doesn't seem as if you'd have to be an 'expert' to figure that out, just a life form with cognitive thought and a basic grip of modern culture and numeracy. Harry Potter previously held the record for a Monday release, but a charismatic Bond shot the wizard out of his hand with a $6.8 million opening; a full $1.8m bigger than Potter's. The four-day U.K. total is a massive $39.3 million. Elsewhere in the world, the movie's four-day haul in France is $12.8 million, $9.2 million in Russia and $6.5 million in South Korea. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Skyfall producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were "overwhelmed with the reaction to Skyfall this weekend" in the U.K. "It is particularly thrilling as the U.K. is home to James Bond and it being the 50th anniversary year," the duo said in a statement.

U.S Imax goers will get their turn on Nov 8th, with other theatres getting Bond a day later, and even though the franchise is a truly British institution, you can expect a massive return when on its American release.