User blog:Ceauntay/Box office update: 'Harry Potter' conjures the largest opening day ever with $92.1 mil

Sorry, Twihards. In one fell magical-broomstick swoop, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 shattered the records for best midnight debut and largest opening day, both of which were previously held by Twilight films. According to early estimates, Potter grossed a staggering $92.1 million on Friday, crushing The Twilight Saga: New Moon‘s record of $72.7 million. And midnight screenings accounted for $43.5 million of Potter‘s opening day, surpassing The Twilight Saga: Eclipse‘s $30 million midnight tally. To convey how enormous Potter‘s opening day was, consider this: The film collected more money in a single day than the first Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, made its entire first weekend ($90.3 million). It’s now certain that Potter will also capture the opening weekend record, currently held by The Dark Knight with $158.4 million. But by how much? If Deathly Hallows — Part 2 follows the trajectory of Deathly Hallows — Part 1, dropping 38 percent on Saturday and 34 percent on Sunday, it’ll finish the weekend with $187 million. Part 2 could be more front-loaded than Part 1, but at this point, I dare not underestimate this teenage wizard. Count on an opening weekend of at least $180 million.

Harry Potter: Get the latest news, photos, and more Potter‘s only blemish whatsoever was its 3-D performance. Only 43 percent of its opening-day figure came from 3-D showings, compared to 60 percent for Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Still, 43 percent of a gigantic number is still a very large number. And overseas, Potter has been flat-out enchanting, having earned $157.5 million so far. That brings the PG-13 film’s global haul to $249.6 million. It’s now on pace to score the biggest worldwide debut of all time, which currently belongs to 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with $394 million. Making 3 percent of Potter‘s opening day was Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, which debuted to $2.9 million on Friday. Despite being dwarfed by Potter, this is a respectable start for the honey-addicted bear. The G-rated movie should finish the weekend with about $9 million.

As for holdovers, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush — Part 2 dropped light to 35 percent taking home a strong $30.2 million coming in a strong second, for a total of $260 million by the weekend's end. It has broken a record as biggest single day for a film released on a second Friday, and may also top the second weekend at the box office to about $70 million coming towards Avatar ($75.6 million), The Dark Knight ($75.1 million), Shrek 2 ($72.4 million) and Spider-Man ($71.2 million). It can manage to stay on tight legs when it didn't fell behind further with many audiences wanting to see Harry Potter, but they also can go see Jane Hoop Elementary when they manage to see the film again and than see Harry Potter before or after Jane Hoop Elementary.

Another holdover Transformers: Dark of the Moon finished third, dropping 57 percent for $6.3 million. By Sunday, Michael Bay’s action extravaganza should reach $300 million domestically. In third was the R-rated comedy Horrible Bosses, which slipped 45 percent for $5.5 million. And Zookeeper occupied fourth place, earning $3.9 million — a 47-percent decline. Also, on Friday, Midnight in Paris became Woody Allen’s top-grossing film with $40.4 million, passing his 1986 movie Hannah and Her Sisters. Check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.
 * 1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 — $92.1 mil
 * 2) Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush — Part 2 — $30.2 mil
 * 3) Transformers: Dark of the Moon — $6.3 mil
 * 4) Horrible Bosses — $5.5 mil
 * 5) Zookeeper — $3.9 mil