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Harry Potter Casts A Spell On The Box Office

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Muggles by the millions made a movie about a wizard their choice over the weekend.  The final installment in the Harry Potter series shattered all previous records for ticket sales.

Ron Matz reports thousands of fans in Baltimore were part of the astounding box office bonanza.

Harry Potter put a record-breaking spell over the box office this weekend, hauling in $168.5 million. It's the biggest opening weekend in movie history.

Fans lined up at Loews White Marsh.  There were big crowds at Landmark Theatres in Harbor East.

Fiona McIntosh and daughter Kara are just wild about Harry Potter. Fiona is originally from Scotland.

"Harry is very popular in Scotland.  There's even a Harry Potter Railway in Scotland.  You can do a tour of the train. It's cool," she said.

This is the eighth and final film in the Harry Potter franchise.

"We've seen all the Harry Potter movies up until the new one. We tried to get tickets for the new one, but they were all sold out," said Fiona McIntosh.

The Harry Potter box office take is simply staggering. It's made $476 million in ticket sales over the weekend around the world.

"It's very adventurous and exciting.  It's so cool how they actually can do all the magic. I think it's really awesome," said Kara McIntosh, Harry Potter fan. "I think the stories are so cool.  It's just fun. 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' was my favorite."

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" took in more than $43 million at special midnight screenings. It made more than $92 million on Friday, the biggest single day take in movie history.

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