'Harry Potter' aims for box office magic

As of Monday, 2,200 screenings of H arry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 were sold out for the opening, November 19 - more than half of all theaters playing the film in the US.

Some estimates claim the film could make $135 million this weekend at the US box office alone. The film also releases worldwide in 96 countries.

Harry Potter films earn an average of $88.3 million on opening weekends in the US; Deathly Hallows is expected to do better. The other Potter movie released in November, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, opened in 2005 with a $102.7 weekend, according to Box Office Mojo.

As the first part of the final book and the two-part finale, anticipation is running even higher. The film accounts for 96% of advance sales on Fandango, America's leading online movie ticket retailer.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, along with Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, are joined by an all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Bill Nighy, Tom Felton, and more.

In this penultimate film of the franchise, the seventh installment finds Harry and his friends racing against time to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort from crushing Harry, Hogwarts and everything standing in his way from control over the Ministry of Magic.

The only other new release in theaters is the dramatic thriller The Next Three Days, starring Russell Crowe ( Robin Hood, State of Play) and written and directed by Paul Haggis ( Crash and writer of Quantum of Solace). It is not expected to be a big rival.

Deathly Hallows is also expected to dominate the international box office. The release is delayed in a few countries including France and South Korea.

RC