Final Harry Potter film conjures a record-breaking $170m at U.S. box office on debut weekend

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 had a record-breaking first weekend at the box office in the U.S.
The final film in the franchise took $92.1million on Friday, the largest opening day takings in history.
Then it shattered more records with $168.6 million in ticket sales over its debut weekend, the best three-day opening ever in the U.S. and Canada.

Box-office magic: Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and walk the red carpet at the New York premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The $168.6million sum beat the previous record of $158.4million over the initial three days for the 2008 Batman movie, 'The Dark Knight'.
The $92.1million day record was nearly $20million more than the previous record-holder, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which took in $72.7million in its first day two years ago.

The film added $75million in 57 overseas countries on Friday, raising its international total to $157.5 million since it began rolling out Wednesday.

TOP FIVE SINGLE DAY BOX-OFFICE GROSSES

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 now tops the five biggest single days at American box-offices:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - $92,100,000
2. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - $72,703,754
3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - $68,533,840
4. The Dark Knight - $67,165,092
5. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - $62,016,476
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - $61,684,550

That gives the film a worldwide total of about $250million.

Among its first-day totals Friday was $14.8 million in Great Britain, which Warner Bros. reported was the biggest single day ever for a movie.

The first 3-D film in the series, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 benefited from the higher price theaters charge for 3-D tickets, which cost a few dollars more than 2-D.

In a single day, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 took in more money than four of the previous seven Harry Potter films did over their entire opening weekends.

The finale of the Harry Potter saga also set a record for midnight screenings with $43.5million. That topped The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which pulled in about $30million in its first midnight shows last year.

Box-office tracker Hollywood.com projected Saturday that "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" also could break the opening-weekend record of $158.4 million domestically held by "The Dark Knight."

Harry Potter has once again cast a spell over the international box-office.
The boy wizard's final film adventure, Harry Potter an the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, has raked in $126million (£78million) in takings since it opened in dozens of countries on Wednesday.
It has broken the record for midnight screenings in the U.S. and Canada with $43.5million (£27million) - setting the stage for a massive weekend debut.
Box office analysts now predict that U.S. and Canadian ticket sales for the three-day weekend will hit $125million to $150million (£77million to £93million), but with the midnight record that range could be low.
Even if the box office total hits that forecast, it would be the highest-grossing Harry Potter debut and put the movie within striking distance of the biggest opening weekend ever.

Actor Tom Felton (centre), who plays Draco Malfoy in the Potter franchise, poses with fans outside a restaurant in Rio De Janeiro yesterday

The final showdown: Harry, Hermione and Ron face the great unknown in the franchise's final film

That record belongs to the 2008 Batman movie The Dark Knight, which collected $158.4million (£98.2million) in its initial three-days.
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the eighth and final film in the Harry Potter franchise and the first in 3D.
The earlier films have generated more than $6.4billion (£4billion) in ticket sales since the first movie a decade ago, plus billions more from DVDs and merchandise. The films are based on novels by British author J.K. Rowling.
The record-holder for any of the eight Potter films so far is the first in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which has amassed $974.8million (£604.8million) globally.

He-who-must-not-be-named: Potter and friends face Voldemort in the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Loyal fans eager to say farewell are expected to drive big numbers for the conclusion of the battle between good and evil in a fantasy world of witchcraft.
Film-goers, some sporting Potter-inspired costumes, queued at cinemas for the first showings and events coordinated with screenings.
Many early screenings were sold out before the movie had even opened.