Remembering the 6 Films That Opened Opposite Harry Potter

Nov. 18-20, 2005

1.) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: $102.6 million (3,858 theaters)

2.) Walk the Line: $22.3 million (2,961 theaters)

Proof positive that the "If you build it, they will come" theory works. Walk the Line had a huge marketing push, two major movies stars and killer buzz -- and it opened well even when faced with the latest "biggest Potterever." Walk the Line is the best comparable on this list for The Next Three Days, in that they're both adult dramas. Unfortunately, Haggis' film doesn't have Reese Witherspoon in the lead.

July 13-15, 2007

1.) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: $77.1 million (4,285 theaters)

12.) Captivity: $1.4 million (1,061 theaters)

Nothing says counterprogramming like scheduling some soulless torture porn opposite what's ostensibly a movie for children. Too bad it didn't work. Meanwhile, Order of the Phoenix "only" grossed $77 million over the weekend, but that's just because it already took in $62 million on Wednesday and Thursday.

July 17-19, 2009

1.) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: $77.8 million (4,325 theaters)

12.) (500) Days of Summer: $834,501 (27 theaters)

Call it Walk the Line on a small scale: (500) Days of Summer had great reviews, two attractive leads, a killer soundtrack and was the date night choice for hipsters on opening weekend. The only problem? Hipsters like Harry Potter, too. (Plus, (500) Days only opened in 27 theaters.)

Looking ahead past this weekend's showdown, The Deathly Hallows, Part II will face the stiffest competition yet: David Gordon Green's The Sitter and Winnie the Pooh are both set to open opposite the final installment of Harry Potter on July 15, 2011. Will one of them be the next Walk the Line? Will one of them blink and move (looking at you, Pooh)? As it turns out, the cliffhanger at the end of Part I isn't the only HP mystery you can concern yourself with over the next eight months.

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