Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire News

It was one last hurrah for "Harry Potter," as the teen wizard held the top spot in a typically slow post-Thanksgiving frame. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" fell 63% in its third frame to $20.5 million. It's the only pic in 2005 to hold first place for three straight weekends. Meanwhile, Par sci-fi actioner "Aeon Flux" opened to $13.1 mil.

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In the last weekend before a blockbuster-filled end of the year, Par's "Aeon Flux" is the only wide opener this weekend, hitting 2,608 playdates. Pic, which cancelled its review screenings, will mix it up with the third week of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and the surprisingly leggy "Walk the Line." Starting next week, however, it's one blockbuster after another. Disney and Walden's "The Chronicles of Narnia" bows Dec. 9, followed by Universal's "King Kong" on Dec. 16 and several big pics over the Christmas weekend.

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Harry's setting the world on fire once again as "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" dominated foreign box office with $95.4 million from more than 9,400 prints in 42 markets in its second weekend. Thanks to impressive launches in Japan, Spain and Italy and solid holdover perfs, "Goblet" has now hit $207 million offshore.

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Five movies are opening in wide release over the Thanksgiving frame, but they're all fighting for second place. Blame it on the wizard: For the second week in a row, the movie biz will be dominated by Harry Potter. Openers jostling for second place are Sony/Revolution's musical adaptation of "Rent," New Line comedy "Just Friends," Lions Gate's Usher starrer "In the Mix," Paramount and Sony/MGM family remake "Yours, Mine and Ours" and Focus comedy "The Ice Harvest." Also in the mix: Focus' "Pride and Prejudice," which goes wide after two weeks of limited release, and Fox's "Walk the Line," which had a strong bow of $22.4 million last week.

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Harry Potter got $6.4 million richer -- mostly from foreign markets -- after the dust settled Monday from the launch of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." Warner Bros. reported a final international weekend gross of $85.5 million, a 7% boost from Sunday's initial $80 million estimate. The largest new markets for "Goblet" this weekend include Argentina, Benelux, Brazil, Japan, Italy and Spain.

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Harry Potter's power over moviegoers grows stronger with age, as the teen wizard conjured his best box office ever in his fourth outing, grossing $101.4 million on 3,858 screens for a magical $26,290 per play. That gives WB's "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" the fourth biggest Friday-Sunday gross of all time, displacing the previous franchise entry, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and falling behind only "Spider-Man," "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" and "Shrek 2." Total worldwide take, including an additional 5,900 screens in 19 foreign territories, was $181.4 million. The weekend also was bright for the man in black. Fox's "Walk the Line" proved effective counter-programming among adults, as it bowed to $22.4 million on 2,961 screens, the biggest opening ever against a "Potter" pic.

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With tracking through the roof and only Fox's adult-oriented "Walk the Line" daring to open against it, WB's "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" looks set to at least match the performance of its three predecessors, which all opened to around $90 million. "Harry Potter" pics have always conjured up more money abroad. The first three accumulated $1.82 billion overseas, about twice the $930 million they made Stateside. Fox is hoping its Johnny Cash biopic, which bows on 2,961 screens, can draw an adult audience from both Cash's base of fans and those attracted by positive reviews and Oscar buzz.

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"Everything is about to change" -- that's the official tagline for the upcoming "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" from Warner Bros. Pictures. For the first time, a "Potter" film has received a PG-13 rating for sequences of "fantasy violence and frightening images"; the previous three movies each drew a PG. In the U.K., "Goblet of Fire" has received a 12A rating for the first time, meaning that kids under 12 must be accompanied by an adult -- a tighter restriction than the PG-13 rating, which merely cautions parents. Should Warner be worried that the more restrictive rating could limit the lucrative tyke audience? The studio says there's nothing to fret about. Warner has evidence to show the audience has changed and matured right along with Harry and his friends, now teenagers who face peril and grisly consequences in "Goblet." That means more teens and adults in the audience.

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Censors in South Africa have ordered stricter age restrictions for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" than for the previous films in the franchise. Rating means that children under 10 can see the film but only if accompanied by an adult. Previously, the films were classified PG (parental guidance), a purely advisory recommendation. The 10M restriction is compulsory.

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Despite fears among British production crews that Harry Potter would follow James Bond's example and shoot in the Czech Republic, Warner Bros. has decided the fifth "Harry Potter" pic will shoot at Leavesden, north of London, like its predecessors. Lensing on "Order of the Phoenix," whose budget is reportedly close to $150 million, is due to begin in February.

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