Harry Potter scores $43.6m international opening day

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 grossed as follows:

Australia: $7.5m from 727 screens (58.5% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day including midnight previews;

France: $7.1m from 1,195 (67% 3D market share) for the biggest Wednesday launch;

Germany: $5.3m from 1,641 (77% 3D market share) for the biggest preview result ever;

Italy: $4.6m from 988 (57% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day;

Sweden: $2.1m from 226 (76% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day;

Norway: $1.8m from 259 (76% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day;

Holland: $1.7m from 233 (83% 3D market share) for biggest opening day;

Denmark: $1.6m from 162 (73% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day;

Belgium: $1.4m from 132 (49% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day; and

Finland: $749,000 from 140 (75% 3D market share) for the biggest opening day.

China is scheduled to receive the film on Aug 4. The film opens in North America at midnight tonight (15).

Overall the film launches on 19,500 screens in 59 countries this weekend and all eyes will be on whether it can beat the $260.4m international launch weekend record set in May by Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Speaking of On Stranger Tides, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International sources confirmed today (14) that it has finally overtaken stablemate Alice In Wonderland to reach $1.025bn and rank as the sixth biggest global release in history.

The adventure currently ranks as Disney’s third biggest global release behind Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest on $1.064bn and Toy Story 3 on $1.044bn. Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has amassed $787m internationally. No film has grossed more overseas or worldwide this year to date.

Meanwhile Pixar’s Cars 2 is roaring along at $133m and while there are no new release scheduled this weekend, major territories like the UK, Germany, France and Japan are on the horizon.

Elsewhere, PPI’s erstwhile overseas champion Transformers: Dark Of The Moon has raced past $400m and currently stands at $416.1m.

There are no new markets scheduled for the weekend but expected strong holdover business should push the action sci-fi past the $450m mark without too much trouble.

Fox International’s Mr Popper’s Penguins stands at $28.4m, while Monte Carlo has grossed $2.9m and X-Men: First Class has reached $202.5m.

Cedar Rapids arrives in Spain and South Africa and Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2 on $18.2m opens in France.

Universal/UIP launches The Debt in Russia and Barney’s Version in Germany. Fast And Furious Five stands at $393.6m and Bridesmaids is on $52.8m.