
Potter Is Back: Box Office Bonanza Assured
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and the final novel "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". The release of Potter books and films are major events for the entertainment industry, both because of the passion fans share for the stories, dubbed "Pottermania" in the media, and the amount of money they generate. The seven Harry Potter books, which began in 1997, have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and turned Rowling into a multi-millionaire publishing phenomenon. MAGIC NUMBERS The five movies released so far have grossed $4.5 billion in ticket sales, and box office experts see little reason to doubt that the sixth installment will fall within the $800 million to $1 billion range, a huge amount for a single film. "This...