The boy with the wand is back, for one last time. The most successful movie franchise in the history of the movie business is coming to an end on Friday (July 15) with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.
The last installment in the eight part series is
set to break many box office records in its first weekend itself. International media reports suggest that it will garner $125 million to $150 million worldwide in the first weekend.
The record for best weekend opening belongs to 'The Dark Knight', released in 2008 and which collected $158.4 million in its initial three-days.
The excitement in India is no less with Harry Potter fans eagerly awaiting the film. The tussle between multiplexes and Warner Bros Pictures India has also finally ended, paving the way for the smooth release of the final edition of the Harry Potter franchise.
The two parties were warring over the
multiplexes' demand for 55 per cent revenue share, leaving 45 per cent to the Studio during the first week.
MUST READ: PVR Cinemas in expansion mode According to an MoU signed last year, the revenue sharing pattern between distributors and multiplexes was 50:50 in the first week, which would then be reduced to 42.5 per cent in the second week, followed by 37.5 per cent in the third week and 30 per cent in the fourth week.
After two rounds of talks on Wednesday and Thursday, the two parties have reached a common ground. "We have closed the negotiations amicably," said Ashish Saksena, COO of BIG Cinemas, but he refused to comment on the revenue share model.
In the buildup to the final release, Warner Bros Pictures India entered into a tie-up with
PVR cinemas and hosted a Harry Potter Film Festival from July 7-13, across three cities - Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore.
In India, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (Part 1) grossed Rs 25 crores, with 433 prints in four languages. The franchise in total made a profit of about Rs 118 crores.
Harry Potter fans across India are waiting to see how the boy wizard of Hogwarts fights it out against Voldemort, the uber-villain in the finale of epic proportions.
Kerala's Patric Lobo, 17, who proclaims himself to be the biggest Potter fan, says: "I am very excited about the release and I am going to watch it first day first show. My nearest movie hall has only 2D...Nevertheless I will watch it along with my brothers."
The movie is releasing in 2D and 3D across India, with 600 prints in four languages.
"I missed the previous part, but I am not going to miss this. I have already told my father to book the tickets", says Ishika Miriam, 9, a student of Bishop Cotton's, Bangalore.
The film is directed by David Yates, who also helmed the blockbusters 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix', 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' and 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1'.
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