MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Pictures’ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has already shattered two box office records, first breaking the record for a midnight opening with $22.2 million, eclipsing the studio’s own record set last year by The Dark Knight.
Moreover, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince flew past the worldwide opening day box office record: with the domestic gross of $58.18 million and the international totals of $45.85 million combining for an astounding one-day global box office gross of more than $104 million.
Warner Bros. Pictures president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman said, "We are so happy to share ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ with the fans and thrilled that they turned out in record numbers to see it."
Warner Bros. Pictures president of international distribution Veronika Kwan-Rubinek added, "With many countries yet to open, these already outstanding box office numbers are another testament to the universal appeal of J.K. Rowling’s stories and the remarkable work of everyone behind the Harry Potter films."
Warner Bros. president and COO Alan Horn said, "Quite simply, we owe this record-breaking opening to the remarkable fans who have stood by us and who stood in line to be among the first to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. We thank them again for their patience and we hope they agree with us that the film was well worth the wait."
Warner Bros. Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov said, "Everyone at Warner Bros. joins me in congratulating the cast and filmmakers who have made another worthy addition to the amazing Harry Potter film franchise and are already hard at work on the next film."
Producer David Heyman said, "We are so grateful to Jo Rowling, whose books are the foundation of our success. We share this with our remarkable team – director, writer, cast and crew – with whom I am privileged to work every day and whose ambition for the films never ceases to amaze me. Thanks also to our friends at Warner Bros. and especially to our countless Harry Potter fans around the world for their support."
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. David Heyman and David Barron produced the film, with Lionel Wigram serving as executive producer and John Trehy co-producing.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince": An IMAX 3D Experience—digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience through proprietary IMAX DMR technology—is being released by Warner Bros. Pictures in select theatres in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago concurrently with the nationwide 35mm release in traditional theatres. The film will open nationwide in IMAX on July 29th. Using IMAX’s revolutionary live action 2D to 3D conversion technology, the movie’s opening sequence has been transformed into IMAX 3D. The film will also be shown completely in IMAX 2D in select locations without IMAX 3D capability.
This film has been rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.
