The numbers for
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I are in and it's pure magic for Warner Bros - Friday $61.1 million, Saturday $38.2 million which results in a
$125 million over the three days (including Thursday midnight shows)- making the first part of the final chapter the fifth highest opening weekend of all time. Of course, by now it's hardly news to report that the latest film in the Harry Potter franchise has once again made a small fortune and Deathly Hallows Part I should end up with around a billion dollars worldwide when all is said and done. Everyone knows and expects this. Harry Potter making an obscene amount of money is the third guarantee in life next to death and taxes. But, despite it's regularity and how I personally don't give a flying hoot for this series, time should be taken-out to acknowledge that this magical wizard franchise has proved to be a true one-of-a-kind. When it's all said and done it'll be eight movies in ten years, keeping the majority of the cast and crew (whose leads despite what you say about their talents, have all at least grown and improved with the series) and most importantly - keeping it's rabid audience interest intact and growing with every film. That's an astonishing feat. But Warner Bros. sure have you guys by the balls anyway don't they? Next Summer you have
Part Two of this final chapter and nobody is buying the official studio line that the final book was needed to be told over the course of two bloated films. Not one single sole. Forcing you to make two trips to the cinema was always the easiest way for WB to make another $1 billion and so it will prove to be. In second place -
Megamind unsurprisingly lost 45% of it's audience but the $109 million cume by weekend number three is good, if not quite spectacular numbers. Don't rule out a sequel just yet. In third place -
Unstoppable is showing signs of slowing down and it's struggling to hit the $50 million stop. It needs to double that figure domestically to hit it's budget which it won't achieve and Fox once again seem certain to lose more of their Avatar profit with each passing blockbuster. In the future they need to reign
Tony Scott in and force him into the $35 million budget range, because anything more than that and you can't guarantee you will see your money again. That would probably mean dropping
Denzel Washington too but what has he done for Scott in their last few outings together anyway except give good performances that the masses aren't willing to go and see? In fourth -
Due Date continues to be disrespected and it'll make money (it's on $119 million from $65 million estimated budget which will be getting close to $100 million with that big marketing push) but barely anything to write home about. Can't help but feel that THIS one should have hit the pop-culture wave and not
The Hangover.
In fifth then and you have probably already forgotten this one was a newcomer this week -
The Next Three Days. Just like
Harrison Ford last week, the question mark over whether
Russell Crowe is A) even a movie star anymore or B) Worth the $15-$20 million it costs to have him in your movie... has to be monitored closely now. Really. Yes he can still attract overseas but he hasn't been significant in the States for a long while. Too long for the money he is piling in. Full box office report
HERE.