“Harry Potter” Rakes in $24M from Midnight Debut

Can't eclipse haul from last two "Twilight" films

Better find a big vault at Gringotts for the new “Harry Potter” film’s box office haul.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" netted $24 million early Friday to give the franchise its best ever midnight debut, The Associated Press reported.

The film could be on track to earn over $100 million for its opening weekend, Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian told the AP.

The first of two films based on J.K. Rowling’s final “Harry Potter” book, “Deathly Hallows” topped last year’s $22.2 million midnight opening for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

But “Potter” fans’ purchasing power wasn’t enough to land an Avada Kedavra curse on the “Twilight” phenomenon.

“Deathly Hallows” places third on the list of highest grossing midnight debuts behind the last two installments of the teen vampire-werewolf drama, the AP reported.

“Twi-Hards” helped “Eclipse” rake in $30 million for its debut last summer, while “New Moon” reportedly earned $26.3 million at the witching hour in 2009.

Click here for PopconBiz's review of the penultimate "Harry Potter" film.

Selected Reading: AP, Reuters
 

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