'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2' Hits $1 Billion in Global Box Office

It's the first in the franchise to pass the milestone, doing so only two weeks after its release.

In a fitting farewell to one of the most magical film series in Hollywood history, Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the first film in the franchise to reach the $1 billion mark worldwide.

Deathly Hallows 2 will cross the milestone on Saturday, having grossed $296 million domestically and $630 million overseas through Thursday for a global total of $926 million. Another blockbuster weekend at the multiplex is forecast, allowing the film to easily pass the vaunted $1 billion mark.

The movie, benefiting from being released in 3D, is racing past the milestone in about two weeks, a remarkable achievement. Until now, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone overseas) was the top grossing pic in the franchise, having grossed $974.8 million globally in 2001-02.

The Harry Potter franchise has always been immensely successful internationally, with every title in the series earning substantially more offshore. So far, 68 percent of Deathly Hallows Part 2’s gross has been earned at the international box office, fueled by standout performances in the U.K., Japan, Australia and Germany.

By the end of this weekend, Deathly Hallows Part 2 should surpass Sorcerer’s Stone's domestic gross of $317 million, the best in the series. It also will have surpassed the $659 million earned last year internationally by Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Deathly Hallows Part 2 becomes the 9th movie in history to gross north of $1 billion worldwide, a club that includes Warners’ The Dark Knight ($1 billion), Disney’s Alice in Wonderland ($1.02 billion) and Disney’s 2011 summer tentpole Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ($1.03 billion).

Thanks to our Hogwarts mate Sylvia for the heads up on this story!

(SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

Universal Orlando Announces 'A Celebration of the Harry Potter Films'

This November Universal is hosting a big three-day event in celebration of all eight Harry Potter films!  From the press release:

This special event will be hosted by Warner Bros. and will celebrate a decade of movie history by allowing fans to share their love for the Harry Potter films. The event will take place from Friday, November 11, to Sunday, November 13, at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, home to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

During this special event, guests can celebrate their favorite memories and stories of Harry Potter with filmmakers, cast members and fellow fans. While all theme park guests will be able to enjoy The Wizarding World of Harry Potter during their visit, only a limited number of guests and those who buy special event packages will have access to exclusive benefits such as:

• A spectacular evening gala in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Autograph signings with stars from the Harry Potter films
• Q&A sessions with Harry Potter filmmakers and cast members, along with the creators of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Screenings of all eight Harry Potter films – including "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" at the AMC Universal Cineplex 20 in Universal CityWalk. Access to the screenings can be added to the vacation packages for an additional fee.

Additional details can be read on Universal's website.

(SOURCE: MUGGLENET)

Deathly Hallows Box Office Records So Far

Hello My Fellow Witches and Wizards!

I thought I would post the box office records that Deathly Hallows has broken since its release on Friday, July 15th.

Box office all-time records

As a result of the film's success, it currently holds the following U.S./Canadian box office records:

Box Office Record	Record Details	Previous Record
Opening Weekend[10]	$169,189,427	The Dark Knight (2008, $158 million)
Opening Weekend - IMAX	$15,500,000	Avatar (2009, $9.5 million)
Single Day	$91,071,119	New Moon (2009, $72.7 million)
Widest 3D launch[60]	3,100+ locations	Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011, 2,789 locations)
Highest Gross in Advance Ticket Sales	$32,000,000	Eclipse (2010, $30 million)
Biggest Midnight Release[8]	$43,500,000	Eclipse (2010, $30 million)
Biggest IMAX Midnight Release[54]	$2,000,000	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010, $1.4 million)
Highest 3-Day Gross	$169,189,427	The Dark Knight (2008, $158 million)
Highest 4-Day Gross	$187,232,508	The Dark Knight (2008, $182.9 million)
Fastest to $100 million	2 days	The Dark Knight (2008)
Fastest to $150 million	3 days	The Dark Knight (2008)

It also holds the following international box-office records:

Record	Details
Opening Weekend Worldwide	$481,489,427
Opening Weekend Foreign[51]	$312,300,000
Opening Weekend United Kingdom	$36,000,000
Opening Weekend Australia[54]	$26,700,000
Fastest to 500 Million Worldwide[61]	6 days
Highest Grossing Worldwide IMAX Release[62]	$23,500,000

(SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA)

Pre-Order "Dear Mr. Potter" and Enter for a Chance to Win Amazing Prizes

A few weeks ago, we reported that pre-orders were open for "Dear Mr. Potter: Letters of Love, Loss, and Magic." The book will feature hundreds of letters and pictures from fans and notable fandom figures who have been impacted and inspired by Harry Potter.

As an added bonus for those who have pre-ordered before the book's release, fans will automatically be entered into a draw to win a signed copy from actor Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)! Between 15 to 20 winners will be selected.

Additionally, 50 fans that pre-order will also be randomly chosen to receive a customized Hogwarts letter with their copy of the book.

"Dear Mr. Potter" goes on sale July 1, 2011. All proceeds from the book will benefit the Harry Potter Alliance.

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRDON)

Review: 'Dear Mr. Potter' Is A Must-Read As We Near The Final Potter Film Release

The following is a review of Dear Mr. Potter, a book of letters written by Harry Potter fans who reflect on what the series has done for them.

Dear Mr. Potter is a Chicken Soup for the Harry Potter fan's soul. It's a recollection of the fandom over the years and makes you realize how many fans were impacted by the series. The stories are all quite personal, which makes for an emotional read. There's no doubt in my mind that fans will be pleasantly surprised by the truthful stories and powerful messages found on every page!

I happily contributed to the book and a couple other friends did as well. Evanna Lynch wrote an adorable letter to Luna, and it makes you realize how alike the two people really are. She is a true fan of the series just like everyone who reads this book, and it was fantastic seeing her being a part of this compilation.

Melissa Anelli, who I've worked with over the years, shares a very touching story that I'm glad she shared. By reading stories like Melissa's you'll see how everyone has a personal reason why Harry Potter has meant so much to them, and it's truly heartwarming to hear each one.

It's a must-read at this interesting time in the Potter fandom where we're about to experience our final movie release.

You can learn more about Dear Mr. Potter at this link. The book is available for pre-order, and proceeds benefit the Harry Potter Alliance.

(SOURCE: MUGGLENET)

New "Deathly Hallows: Part 1" Video Game Promos Released

New promos for the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" video game have been released. The new images, taken from the Nintendo Wii platform of the game, can be found from this picture onwards in the Leaky galleries.

Pictured promos from the video game include:

Harry, Ron and Hermione in what appears to be a tent

A Snatcher duelling at the Ministry of Magic

A Death Eater at the Ministry

A Dementor in a graveyard

Harry duelling a Death Eater in the street
 
(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)