They didn't just show up to see a movie, they wanted to live it -- and wear it.
Some of the muggles came in maroon-striped scarves and school-uniform neckties; others donned capes and stuffed pillows under their shirts to give them the girth of a plump wizard. Many sported wigs, gray sweaters (despite the stifling heat), tube socks and, oh yes, wire-rimmed glasses. Lots and lots of wire-rimmed glasses.
The witching-hour spectacle played out at theaters across the Southland as thousands of "Harry Potter" fans stayed up late on Tuesday night so they could be among the first to see the sixth installment in the most magical of Hollywood franchises. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" sold out more than 4,500 midnight showings and was poised to break the box-office record for a Wednesday opening.
"I've been waiting for this day for months," said Naomi Gonzales, 21, of Sylmar, who purchased tickets for the 12:55 a.m. showing at Universal CityWalk with her cousin. "There was no way I was going to wait. Midnight was the only option. Who needs sleep? Harry Potter is my caffeine."
At the AMC CityWalk Stadium, all six showings of the film were sold out. The two midnight showings at Mann Theatres in Hollywood? Sold out. That was the story far and wide; at one point, Fandango was selling eight tickets per second, according to the website.
The generally well-reviewed film seems to have left fans spellbound. It brought in $22.2 million in midnight ticket sales at 3,003 locations -- shattering last year's record $18.5-million midnight earnings of another Warner Bros.' blockbuster, "The Dark Knight." According to several people with access to box office data, matinees were extremely strong but evening shows slowed a bit, putting the new "Potter" movie on track to likely gross just under $60 million on its opening day. That means it will likely just miss out on beating the Wednesday record of $62 million set by "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" on its opening day last month.
Several Hollywood executives who closely track box office returns said the latest "Harry Potter" film will likely earn around $200 million in the U.S. and Canada and as much or more from international markets by Sunday.
It's certain to make more than its predecessor "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which two years ago sold a total of $292 million in tickets domestically and $938 million worldwide.
