Including the ‘Harry Potter’ movies, the Wizarding World franchise has, to date, raked in $8.64 billion at the box office worldwide.
Including the Harry Potter movies, the Wizarding World franchise has, to date, raked in $8.64 billion at the box office worldwide. Warner Bros. Pictures
J. K. Rowling’s creations continue to work their magic at the box office. Despite mixed reviews from critics, fans and moviegoers have headed to the multiplexes for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Including the Harry Potter movies, the Wizarding World franchise has, to date, raked in $8.64 billion in the box office worldwide, unadjusted for inflation. In the U. S. alone they have secured $2.65 billion in tickets sales over their 17 years.
2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was the most successful with a take of $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office – $381.01 million of that came from domestic sales.
So, with a domestic opening weekend of $62.2 million, where does Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald place it in the table of Harry Potter and Wizarding World openings to date? Here’s how it stacks up.
All figures reflect the domestic box office and are not adjusted for inflation.
10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Opening Weekend: $62.2 million
Final Box Office: TBD
David Yates-helmed Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series and the tenth overall in the Wizarding World franchise. An underwhelming critical reaction, although it gained kudos for its production values and the performances, didn’t stop fans from turning out. Overseas the film earned $191 million elevating its global debut to $253 million. A third film in the series, currently untitled, is due to be released on November 20,2020.
9. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (2016)
Opening Weekend: $74.4 million
Final Box Office: $234.04 million
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was the first installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series, and ninth overall in the Wizarding World franchise, Critics gave it generally positive reviews, and it went on to gross $814 million at the worldwide box office. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them was nominated for five BAFTAs as well as two Academy Awards – it won Best Costume Design, making it the first Wizarding World film to win an Oscar.
8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Opening Weekend: $77.1 million
Final Box Office: $292 million
The first film in the franchise to be directed by David Yates, and with a reported budget of between $150 million to $200 million, it was also the first Harry Potter film to be released in IMAX 3D. The film opened to a worldwide five-day opening of $333 million, fourteenth all-time, and grossed nearly $940 million.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was the eighth and final time Daniel Radcliffe appeared as the titular boy wizard on screen. Warner Bros. Pictures
7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Opening Weekend: $77.83 million
Final Box Office: $301.95 million
The sixth film in the franchise, Half-Blood Prince, broke the record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross. In five days it made $394 million, breaking the record for highest five-day worldwide gross. Thanks to a total gross of $934 million, it became the eighth highest-grossing movie of all time and the second-highest-grossing film of 2009 – it was beaten by Avatar.
6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Opening Weekend: $88.36 million
Final Box Office: $261.98 million
Chris Columbus returned to direct this second film in the series however he was reportedly not the first choice for the job. Frank Oz claimed in an interview that he’d been asked to lead the project but passed. Chamber of Secrets is not only the sixth highest-grossing film in the franchise but was (at that time) the seventh highest-grossing film ever.
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
Opening Weekend: $90.29 million
Final Box Office: $317.57 million
Released in some territories under the title Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Warner Bros reportedly spent $1 million on the rights to the book the film is based on. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the first time we encountered the then unknown actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in the iconic roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger respectively.
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Opening Weekend: $93.69 million
Final Box Office: $249.54 million
It might rank in the top half of the board when it comes to franchise as a whole looking at opening weekends but, with a worldwide total of $796.7 million it is actually the lowest-grossing in the Harry Potter run. Despite it being the least lucrative, Prisoner of Azkaban is often considered the best Harry Potter film by many critics and fans alike and ushered in a notable shift in the franchise’s tone.
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Opening Weekend: $102.69 million
Final Box Office: $290.01 million
The Mike Newell helmed entry in the series grossed over $102 million at the domestic box office in its first five days making it the third-highest first-weekend tally for a Harry Potter film. It ended up taking just under $900 million worldwide, which made it the highest-grossing film of 2005 and, at that time, the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Opening Weekend: $125.02 million
Final Box Office: $295.98 million
Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was the beginning of the end for the franchise as we knew it – although only cinematically as it’s since spawned theme parks, plays and more. The story follows Harry Potter on a quest to find and destroy Lord Voldemort’s secret to immortality – the Horcruxes. In its worldwide opening weekend, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 grossed $330 million. With a global gross of $960 million making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2010.
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
Opening Weekend: $169.19 million
Final Box Office: $381.01 million
Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the eighth and final time Radcliffe appeared as the titular boy wizard on screen, not only had the biggest domestic opening weekend of the franchise, but it was also one of the best-reviewed films of 2011, the highest grossing film of the year and the ninth film to gross over $1 billion.
