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"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has smashed global box office records by taking \u00C2\u00A3297m ($476m) worldwide in its first weekend of release. The last film in the Harry Potter franchise grossed \u00C2\u00A3191m ($307m) internationally in addition to \u00C2\u00A3105.4m ($168.8m) in the US to topple the previous record-holder Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which garnered \u00C2\u00A3246m ($394m) in ticket sales in 2009. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2&amp;#039;s record-breaking opening also places it ahead of other record-setters Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Dark Knight.  Warner Bros president of international distribution Veronika Kwan-Rubinek commented that the box office success is a tribute to Harry Potter author JK Rowling&amp;#039;s ability to connect with audiences around the globe. Rubinek said: &amp;quot;The phenomenal result is a true testament to the universal and timeless appeal of JK Rowling&amp;#039;s beloved books. Whether in German, Russian, Spanish, Japanese or any other language, fans everywhere have embraced the finale. &amp;quot;We thank the filmmakers, cast and crew for this amazing film, as well as our teams and partners in exhibition for bringing this epic story to its conclusion on big screens all over the world.&amp;quot; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 premiered in 59 countries last week, exceeding expectations in France, Japan and the UK. &amp;gt; &amp;#039;Harry Potter&amp;#039; poll: Vote for your favorite movie  &amp;gt; &amp;#039;Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2&amp;#039;: What the fansites say &amp;gt; &amp;#039;Harry Potter Deathly Hallows: Part 2&amp;#039; world premiere: In Pictures &amp;gt; &amp;#039;Harry Potter&amp;#039; stars reveal love for villains &amp;gt; &amp;#039;Harry Potter&amp;#039;: What is the secret to the boy wizard&amp;#039;s success? &amp;gt; &amp;#039;Harry Potter&amp;#039; Lupin actor: &amp;#039;Fans don&amp;#039;t recognise me&amp;#039; Watch the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 below:  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/harry-potter/news/a330399/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-part-2-smashes-global-box-office-records/>