'Harry Potter' Box Office: Will It Break Records?

AP text/scroll down to predict:

LOS ANGELES - This forecast doesn't take a "Megamind" -- "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" will be the No. 1 film at the nation's box offices this weekend, conjuring up receipts that could approach $120 million or beyond and likely set a debut record for the "Potter" movies, the most successful film franchise of all time.

A true "event" film in every sense of the word, this second-to-the-last installment in the eight-part, decade-long Warner Bros.' series will draw massive crowds to the multiplex as it benefits from a terrific marketing campaign, off-the-chart audience awareness, 4,125 screens, including a record number of IMAX screens, and midnight showings. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is the only film in the series thus far to open in excess of $100 million, having earned $102.7 million in its first three days back in 2005.

Falling to a distant second, Paramount's release of the Dreamworks' animated 'Megamind' should take in about $18 million, with a third weekend drop in the mid-30 percent range. Timing can be everything in this business and the film enjoyed two solid weeks at the top of the charts in a "Potter"-less marketplace with a voracious family audience hungry for kid-appropriate product. As it crosses the $100 million mark this weekend, "Megamind" holds the distinction of being the first blockbuster of the 2010 holiday movie season.

In third place, expect last weekend's second-place finisher "Unstoppable" from 20th Century Fox to gross about $12 million, with a modest sub-50 percent second-weekend drop. Denzel Washington and Tony Scott have re-teamed for the fifth time in this runaway-train flick that uses the director's signature visual style to full effect. Couple that with the star power of Washington and his draw for older moviegoers and the film should total around $40 million by Sunday night.

Fourth place should belong to the Todd Phillips comedy "Due Date," which incidentally has been the No. 1 film in the international marketplace for the past two weeks. A likely drop in the mid-50 percent range will generate third weekend revenues in the sub $10 million range, with an overall domestic gross nearing the $70 million mark. Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis as mismatched travel companions on a road trip from hell have made this R-rated comedy a solid holiday season hit.

"Morning Glory" from Paramount should scoop up fifth place with a second weekend gross of around $5 million and a post-weekend total nearing $20 million. The romantic comedy starring Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Rachel McAdams debuted on a Wednesday and then took the fifth spot last weekend with $9.2 million and a first five day total of $11.8 million.

HuffPost's Prediction Games HuffPost's Predict The News!

How much will Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows make in its opening weekend?

• $105 Million or lower

• $105 Million-$115 Million

• $115 Million-$125 Million

• $125 Million-$135 Million

• $135 Million+

Predict it!

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Comments

[JustinST]

04:10 AM on 11/22/2010

although i didn't love this one, as a fan i am always anxious to see more, especially now that it is coming to an end. emma watson looks absolutely breathtaking! i wonder if they will let her character live in the film version, as a surprise to her fans:). hopefully, part 2 will do justice to this amazing series. i can't believe some compare it with trash like twilight which is among the worst in my list. high fives, anyone?

[BVictor1]

05:51 PM on 11/21/2010

I've seen it twice already and it's one of my favorites in the franchise.

I liked the animation regarding the explanation of the Deathly Hallows. It really helped to tie the story together and it was simple which is sometimes better.

I loved it and will probably end up seeing it again.

I will say however that I hope they bring back John Williams to compose the score for the final installment. You can't beat his movie music.

[Tyrione]

12:37 AM on 11/21/2010

Ticket prices continue to rise. Show me the records of total ticket sales.

That's impressive.

[JStading]

06:12 PM on 11/20/2010

How on earth do movies still get so much attention while video games fall through the reporting cracks? They are talking about how Harry Potter might break $120m over the entire weekend. Call of Duty: Black Ops sold over $300million....in its first 24 hours. It just passed $500m over its first five days of release, and that isn't including fees from XBox Live.

[chromodynamics]

11:55 AM on 11/21/2010

Big whoop for the first-person barf fest....

[JStading]

01:59 PM on 11/21/2010

It's a first person shooter with a good story line and a great multiplayer, what's the problem?

[PresidentRobertBooth]

05:53 PM on 11/20/2010

Half Blood Prince should have been two movies as well.
 
 
They cut out way too much about Voldemort's back story, which has made him into a rather two-dimensional villain.

[StilettoStallionsdotcom]

04:44 PM on 11/20/2010

Really NOT loving Emma Watson's new hairdo....to each his own, but it is not benefical to her looks at all. Now are these actually gonna be the last two...because seems like I heard years ago one of those movies was suppose to be the last and seems like they have made 2 more since then!
But it is a great series so more power to them!

[neurogrl]

04:11 PM on 11/20/2010

Awesome movie. I'm so glad they decided to make the final book into two movies.

[jbro399]

07:57 AM on 11/20/2010

i have a question to anybody out there i obviously know that the movie can have every thing in the book but i notice in every other movie the are some things that they changed and were different from the books but this one i couldn't think of anything that was different from the book,..does anyone know of anything that was different?

[Janice Hill]

10:02 AM on 11/20/2010

Yeah, for one thing Wormtail didn't kill himself. They bypassed the part where he was choking out Harry and Ron with his Hand of Glory and Harry reminded him that he had spared his life. Wormtail's hand then turned on him. Also, they didn't go through Kreature's redemption story, either, but I guess it wasn't that important to the story from a film perspective. Maybe Wormtail choking himself to death was too macabre for PG-13.

[Antoinette Anderson]

03:30 PM on 11/20/2010

Adding to what Janice said, they changed Hedwig's death and added a scene with Harry and Hermione dancing in the tent.

[Janice Hill]

04:33 PM on 11/20/2010

I actually liked Hedwig's death in the movie better! She died protecting Harry...I liked how it explained how the Death Eater's knew it was the real Harry better than in the book, too. I thought the spell explanation was a little weak.

[andthatsnotall]

06:42 AM on 11/20/2010

I saw the movie yesterday. The theater was packed for the 2pm showing. The theater had 3 or 4 theaters running H.Potter every half hour. Very good movie. Only thing I didn't like was the jumbled effect when the trio are running in the woods. A steadier camera would have been better. Thankfully it was a short sequence. Can't wait for the last (*sigh*) movie next year!

[MaryJane]

11:16 PM on 11/21/2010

I hate the jumpy camera effect. Movies 2 and 3 of the Bourne Identity series used this technique to distraction. It's supposed to be more realistic? It's not. Your brain is like a gyro-compass and sorts out most of the kinetic movement so your view is more fluid and steady as you run. And not everyone runs like they're wearing clodhoppers or six inch sandals.

[kevinmsieg]

04:58 AM on 11/20/2010

I just left the Lincoln Center AMC theatre after seeing the new Potter movie in IMAX. I've seen all of the previous movies and read the books...this movie was outstanding and will most definately break all kinds of records. Can't wait till the summer to see the story come to an end.

[firelord5000]

01:50 AM on 11/20/2010

Just saw the movie, and it was awesome! Not gona lie, as gorgeous as Ema Watson looks with her current style, she looks even hotter with long hair.

[kjgirl]

01:46 AM on 11/20/2010

Cann't wait to see it!

[oceanofconsciousness]

11:08 PM on 11/19/2010

Saw it today. It's a good one. Very different from all the rest.

[masterdaddy0]

10:51 PM on 11/19/2010

Interesting butterfly effect if you look back to the Prisoner of Azkaban; towards the end after they leave the Shreaking Shack. Once could conclude that all of the events that took place after the third book are because of Lupin. If he had used Petrificus Totalus on Wormtail before he brought him up from the Whomping Willow, Wormtail would have never been able to turn back into the rat, and get away.

[tefoskey]

09:51 PM on 11/19/2010

saw it last night at midnight. took my 16 year old niece and her best friend. Loved it!!