HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — It was another magical weekend for Harry Potter and the gang.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the seventh movie based on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, opened with ticket sales surpassing $125 million to easily win the weekend box office, according to studio estimates released Sunday.
The total marked the biggest debut in the history of franchise, topping the $102.7 million set by 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind, which held the top spot for the past two weekends, slipped to second place at a distant $16.2 million.
The runaway train thriller Unstoppable finished third at $13.1 million, followed by the comedy Due Date in fourth place at $9.2 million.
The Next Three Days, a Russell Crowe thriller, opened at $6.8 million to finish fifth over the weekend.
Weekend Box Office: November 19-21, 2010:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, $125.1 million.
2. Megamind, $16.2 million.
3. Unstoppable, $13.1 million.
4. Due Date, $9.2 million.
5. The Next Three Days, $6.8 million.
6. Morning Glory, $5.2 million.
7. Skyline, $3.4 million.
8. Red, $2.5 million.
9. For Colored Girls, $2.4 million.
10. Fair Game, $1.5 million.