Perspective: Shaken, Not Stirred

When Skyfall opened in theaters in November last year, it became the 23rd film in the James Bond series, which began with 1963’s Dr. No. Judging from the box-office take (which has peaked $1 billion), Mr. Bond has proven to be rather a vigorous gent, both on the screen and on store shelves. Skyfall’s success has affirmed another truism about the film business, one amply demonstrated by the ads shown here. Once you’ve got a successful movie franchise on your hands, chances are the merch isn’t far behind.