Bondis back and then some as Casino Royalelaunched at number one in all its 27 markets on an estimated $42.2m throughSony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI).

Thestirring result - powered by a franchise record in the UK and anastonishing Indian debut - vindicates the producers' decision to slip therough-hewn Daniel Craig into cinema's most famous tuxedo.

Whatmakes 007's latest international foray all the more impressive is that the3,060 overseas print-count encompassed only two major markets - the UKand Russia.

CasinoRoyale took $25.6m or £13.4m includingpreviews in the UK, beating Bond's last outing Die Another Day by 46%.

Withoutpreviews the £11.5m result matched the launch earlier this year of PiratesOf The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest to rankas the joint second biggest launch in history in the UK behind 2005's HarryPotter And The Goblet Of Fire.

Russiagenerated $3.8m from 633 screens for the biggest debut ever for a non-localtitle, while India produced $3.5m - a staggering amount from anunprecedented 427 prints that was 87% bigger than SPRI's Spider-Man 2 and becomes the biggest launch for a non-Indian film.

Inother notable results, Casino Royale openedon $1.3m in Greece, $1.1m in Thailand, and $1m in Taiwan.

Byway of comparison, Die Another Day grossed$25.8m from the same 27 markets. Next weekend should be even bigger for CasinoRoyale when it opens in France, Germany,Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium and Holland.

SPRI'sOpen Season added $6m from 3,855 printsin 51 territories for $70.8m. The UK remains the biggest revenue driver on$13.8m, while Germany and Spain stand at $3.5m and $3.3m respectively after twoweekends.

FoxInternational's Borat kept the laughsrolling in as $13.9m from 1,900 screens in 25 markets raised the overseas tallyto $63.6m.

Thecomedy opened in France on $2.1m from 269 screens and ranked number one inParis and the suburbs. Debuts in Spain and Norway produced $1m from 290 forfourth place and $695,000 from 46 for first place respectively.

Afterthree weekends Borat added $4.6m in theUK for $35.2m and $2.2m in Germany for $9.3m.

TheDevil Wears Prada added $6.2m from 3,000screens in 39 markets for $172.3m. It opened in second place in Japan on $1.8mfrom 302 screens and added $726,000 in its fourth weekend in South Korea for$8.6m.

AGood Year, which is active on 1,500screens in 23 markets, added $3.8m for $13.5m. It opened in South Korea inthird place on $819,000 from 150.

WarnerBros Pictures International's (WBPI) The Departed grossed $6.9m fromapproximately 2,337 prints in 37 territories for $69.3m.

Thecrime drama opened in second place in Mexico on $840,000 from 350 prints, firstplace in Argentina on $354,000 from 55, and first place in New Zealand on$280,000 from 63.

ThePrestige raised its overseas tally by$4.2m from approximately 1,524 prints in 22 markets to 418m. The result waspowered by a number one launch in Hugh Jackman's home country Australia on$1.1m from 198.

ThePrestige opened in France on $667,000 fro427 and added $1.1m from 230 in its second weekend in the UK for $4.3m.

FlagsOf Our Fathers added $1.6m from more than1,100 prints in 11 markets for $16.5m and stands at $8.8m in Japan after fourweekends.

HappyFeet launched day-and-date with NorthAmerica in Taiwan, Malaysia and Puerto Rico and took $867,000 fromapproximately 219 prints.

Warner'sJ-horror film Death Note: The Last Name stayedtop in Japan on $3.4m from 294 screens for $26.1m. Goya's Ghosts added $512,000 from 362 in its second weekend in Spain.

SawIII grossed approximately $8m throughLionsgate and Buena Vista International for an approximate $35.9m internationalrunning total.

Thehorror film opened in Japan through Asmik Ace on $1.1m from 86 screens.Australia stands at 4.3m and ranks third after three weekends.

Itheld on to first place in Spain for the second weekend in a row on $1.5mthrough Buena Vista International for $3.8m. Brazil stands at $3.8m andArgentina has amassed $700,000, both after three. BVI opened Saw III in Mexico in third place on $460,000.

BVI'sThe Santa Clause 3 opened in Australiaon $900,000 for third place, and opened in New Zealand on $140,000 for second.

Universalreported that German comedy Seven Dwarfs 2 was expected to stay top in its home land for the fourthweekend in a row on $2.2m from 744 sites for $21.3m. Overall the film hasgrossed $26.6m from four markets through UIP.

ChildrenOf Men added $1.7m from 750 sites in 22for $22m. The thriller opened in Italy on $800,000 from 196 sites for thirdplace.

StepUp, which Universal has in fiveterritories, added $1.3m from 512 for $15.4m. It opened in eighth place inFrance on $4000,000 from 101. You, Me And Dupree added $1.3m for $52.3m, while Miami Vice raised its tally to $99m thanks to a late $3m run in Chinaover the past two weeks.

Paramount'sWorld Trade Center added $1.4m from1,511 screens in 60 territories through UIP for $88.4m. Barnyard stands at $26.3m, Babel has amassed $3.9m and remains number one in Mexico, while FlushedAway stands at $6.2m. Jackass 2 has grossed $6.6m to date.