Harry Potter has brought his magic to the box office, with the eighth and final film in the wildly popular franchise breaking opening day ticket sales records.

Distributor Warner Bros. says Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 brought in $43.5 million at midnight screenings alone on its first day Friday in the U.S. and Canada. The figure broke the record for midnight screening sales.

The final movie installment of Harry Potter also broke records outside North America, taking in $43 million the first day in 26 countries where it opened Wednesday.

Its release brings to a close the famous tale of the boy wizard Harry Potter, whose world came to life in the books by British author J.K. Rowling.

The final film is based on the second half of the seventh and final book in the series and chronicles Harry's last battle with the evil wizard Voldemort.

It is the first movie of the franchise to offer three-dimensional showings. The higher price for 3D could help boost overall sales figures.

The finale had its world premiere in London last week. Eight thousand people poured into Trafalgar Square to greet the stars of the series.

In an interview, the actor who plays Harry, Daniel Radcliffe, thanked fans for their support and encouraged them to take their curiosity into the world and do “extraordinary things with it.”

Harry Potter creator Rowling is known as the first author in the world to be worth a billion dollars.

Her series has captivated millions, even spawning an amusement park and real-life games of the fictional sport featured in the books, known as Quidditch.