Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 raked in £15.8 million over the weekend, putting the movie in line to break box office records as it eclipsed Quantum of Solace as the record holder for the biggest ever three-day opening.
The latest instalment in the Harry Potter franchise took £5.9 million on Friday and £6.6 million on Saturday, meaning the film also breaks records for biggest Friday, biggest Saturday and biggest single day.
“The opening of this film has become an extraordinary worldwide event,” said Josh Berger, president and managing director of Warner Bros Entertainment UK.
“These remarkable box office numbers are a testament to the talents of the filmmakers, cast and to the vision of J.K. Rowling.”
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 also smashed records in the US, raking in $US125.1 million over opening weekend.
In Australia, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 took in more than $A15 million over its first four days in Australian cinemas making it the second highest opening weekend behind 2009’s Twilight Saga: The New Moon.
Box office smashes are nothing new for Harry Potter movies, which already hold the title for the highest-grossing series of all time, having grossed more than $5.4 billion (£3.4 billion) worldwide through the previous six films.
Harry Potter fans grow up
Distributor Warner Bros revealed that Harry Potter fans have got older as the franchise grew. 25 per cent of the audience for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was between 18 and 34, compared with only 10 per cent for Sorcerer’s Stone nine years ago.
“When we started Harry Potter, basically, the audience was driven to theatres by their parents. Today, those same kids are driving to the midnight shows themselves,” said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros.
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