Fantastic Beasts makes box office magic as it brings in a whopping £15m to become this year's biggest opening weekend
It was one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year.
And Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them has delivered accordingly, as fans were seemingly flocking to cinemas across the nation to make the film this year's biggest opening weekend at the box office.
The Harry Potter prequel, written by J.K. Rowling, earned a whopping £15.3 million in ticket sales last weekend - trumping every film in the franchise, bar the final two.
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Making magic: Fantastic Beasts had the fans flocking to the cinemas as it became the biggest opening weekend in 2016, earned a whopping £15.3 million
The film, which introduces a new pre-Potter era, has already recouped a total of £176.8m against its estimated £240m production budget and marketing costs.
And the President of Warner Bros. Entertainment U.K. gushed over the terrific figures, saying: 'We are thrilled with the huge response from British and Irish audiences to Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.
'Whether long-time Harry Potter fans or newcomers to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, moviegoers have shown how excited they are to join us for the start of a whole new era.
'These tremendous results are a testament to the work of the filmmakers, the cast and all the talented craftsmen whose hard work at Leavesden Studios brought this universe to life.'
Meanwhile, the US box office enjoyed an equally successful opening weekend, debuting to a magical $75 million.
Weaving its magic: The pre-Potter movie also dominated the US weekend box office, debuting to a magical $75 million for top spot
Warner Bros. spent $180 million (£144m in the UK) on making the movie, bringing back David Yates who directed four of the previous boy wizard's outings, according to Variety.
Foreign audiences also gave it a thumbs up, pouring an extra $143.3 million (£114m) into the coffers for a global haul of $218.3 million.
And that's enough to please any goblin at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the only financial institution in the wizarding world.
The result confirms Warner Bros' high hopes for the Potter spin-off and its decision to back five installments in the fantasy series.
Healthy result: Marvel's Doctor Strange landed in second, bringing in $17.5 million, to push its domestic gross to $181.5 million after three weeks and a stunning $571.5 million globally
Second place went to Marvel's Doctor Strange, which brought in $17.5 million to push its domestic gross to $181.5 million after three weeks in US theaters.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the good Doctor, the blockbuster has also performed healthily worldwide earning $390 million for a $571.5 million take.
DreamWorks Animation's Trolls, based on the popular dolls and featuring the voices of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake, took third with $17.5 million.
That brings the family friendly film's domestic tally to $116.2 million and its global take to $261.3 million.
Hair-raising: Trolls, took third with $17.5 million. That brings the family friendly film's domestic tally to $116.2 million and its global take to $261.3 million
Translate this: Sci-fi drama Arrival nabbed $11.8 million in its third weekend of release putting it in fourth. It now has a $43.4 domestic total and a global take of $54 million
Sci-fi drama Arrival, starring Amy Adams as a linguist recruited by the military to translate when alien ships come to Earth, nabbed $11.8 million in its third weekend of release for a $43.4 domestic total and a global take of $54 million.
Rounding out the top five is Universal's Almost Christmas, taking $7 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic cume to $25.4 million.
The seasonal offering stars Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, Omar Epps and Mo'Nique in the tale of a dysfunctional family celebrating their first Christmas together since the death of their mother.
Season's greetings: Rounding out the top five is Universal's Almost Christmas, taking $7 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic cume to $25.4 million
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3957944/Fantastic-Beasts-makes-box-office-magic-brings-whopping-15m-year-s-biggest-opening-weekend.html#ixzz4QgfvkUXi
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