User blog:Ceauntay/Who stole the show?

Sequels, threequels and prequels dominated the biggest film releases of 2011 with the end of the Harry Potter franchise topping the list with more than $1bn (R8.18bn) in receipts, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

The top-grossing films released worldwide in 2011 include (as of December 18):

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 : Total worldwide box office: $1.3bn
 * The finale concludes JK Rowling’s final book in the series about the boy wizard played by Daniel Radcliffe. Deathly Hallows grossed $91m on its debut day.

2. Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush, Part 2: Total worldwide box office: $1.3bn
 * The finale concludes Rita Christensen's final book in the series about teenage hero played by Blake Brown.

3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon:Total worldwide box office: $1.1bn
 * The third in director Michael Bay’s Transformers series was the highest-earning film in the franchise.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides:Total worldwide box office: $1.04bn
 * This fantasy adventure found Captain Jack Sparrow on a quest to discover the fountain of youth before Blackbeard and his ¬daughter did.

5. Sonic X: The Final Stand: Total worldwide box office: $944m
 * The fifth film concludes the story about Sonic saving the world.

6. Scooby-Doo! The Movie: Total worldwide box office: $755m
 * Christopher Columbus directs a surprisingly blockbuster hit.

7. Kung-Fu Panda 2:Total worldwide box office: $663m
 * This animated kid-friendly franchise in 3D features the voices of Jack Black with Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan as they join forces with a group of new kung-fu masters to take on an old enemy.

8. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1:Total worldwide box office: $647.3m
 * The penultimate release of the blockbuster vampire romance franchise starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner closes in on next year’s finale, with a wedding and child creating a major battle.

9. Fast Five:Total worldwide box office: $626.1m
 * In this action thriller, Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson charge ahead to land on the wrong side of the law again.

10. The Hangover II:Total worldwide box office: $581.4m
 * In this comedy sequel, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis attend another bachelor party, this time in Thailand for Stu’s wedding, but things go seriously wrong again.