New ‘Potter' film likely to set records on opening day

Some might say it’s the end of an era — a magical era.

"It all ends," say the posters for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the much-awaited eighth movie and final installment of the famed series. The movie opens Friday.

Harry Potter fans are finding ways to keep the phenomenon alive.

In Brownsville, you can go to the Cinemark Theater at Sunrise Mall where all seven of the Harry Potter movies are being shown this week as a marathon. The $38 package started Wednesday at 11 a.m. with the showing of the first four movies of the series. On Thursday come the next three movies, climaxing with the midnight premiere of the last installment.

In Harlingen, fans can see Part 1 of "The Deathly Hallows" just before the midnight screening of Part 2 at the Cinemark 16 at 601 S. Expressway 83.

It’s been a decade since the world was introduced to the Harry Potter movies, based on the books by British author J.K. Rowling. The first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone," was released in the United States in 1998.

Since then, more than 450 million copies of Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide.

The Harry Potter movie franchise has grossed $6.3 billion. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" alone grossed $954 million worldwide.

As each book in the series was released, parents would wait in early-morning lines at bookstores to buy the latest for an eager child.

In a country where children’s literacy was hitting low standards, many children were now reading more than 700 pages in a matter of days.

According to Diana Dominguez, associate professor in the English Department at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, the Harry Potter phenomenon did more than just entertain.

"One of the great things about this is that it actually created a readership among younger people, especially at a time where readership was declining. There was a real sense of connection to the books that ended up creating a real fan base not only for the books but also for the movies," Dominguez said.

She said that the books have reached a wide demographic.

"The books appeal to both adults and children of both genders because generally girls, especially at a younger age, tend to read more. It really transcended age as well as gender," Dominguez said.

She talked about Rowling’s use of words in the books and how they’ve become part of our language.

"She created a language, a world. ... It’s sort of like Star Wars when we think of the movies and the impact in the late 1970s, you know, ‘May the force be with you,’" she said. "It’s happening with some of the terminology in this case, too."

Francisco Garza, a fan of the books, from Matamoros, said he is sad the series is ending but happy he was a part of the phenomenon.

Garza accredits the Harry Potter books to his starting reading at a time when he wasn’t interested in any type of literature. He read the first three books in the span of three months.

"I was hooked," he said.

Garza said even though the Harry Potter movies have come to an end, it doesn’t mean it’s over because fans will always keep asking for more.

He mentioned things such as Harry Potter-inspired music, called "Wizard rock bands," Harry Potter fan fiction stories and people actually playing "Quidditch" games.

Garza is expecting good things for the last movie but will not attend the midnight premiere.

"I don’t like crowded spaces," he said.

For some families, the Harry Potter craze gave everyone something in common. Such is the case of Maggie Elizondo and daughter Samantha, now 22, from Brownsville.

Elizondo said she started reading the books when her daughter was assigned to read them as a school assignment in the fifth grade.

She has read every book close to the release of a new movie.

"Just imagine seven books, eight movies, how many times have I read them," she said with a laugh.

Harlingen resident Alma Garcia has been reminiscing all week with her friends during Potter movie marathons about their shared love for the books and movies. She plans on attending the back-to-back showings in Harlingen tonight with a group of friends, and the group already has coordinating T-shirts in the different colors of Hogwarts houses ready to go.

"I'm happy and can't wait to see it, but at the same time I'm sad knowing there won't be any more," Garcia said. "Knowing how the story ends will make this movie a tearjerker for sure."

Garcia, 24, said Harry Potter will have a permanent place in her heart.

"I love how Daniel Radcliffe described his feelings at the London premiere about the end of the series," she said. "(He said), 'I don't think this story ends tonight ... because every person will carry this story through their lives.’"

Lucia Regalado, a Matamoros resident and big movie fan, took an interest in Harry Potter after watching the first movie.

She was 13 years old when her curiosity began bringing her back.

Regalado said any reading is good, but children should know it’s all make believe.

"It’s good for kids to read because it broadens their knowledge, but I also think we have to teach them to not get too much inside of the book. It’s just fantasy and we have to remind them of that. I think they get too caught up into the story that they start thinking it’s real and get obsessed with it," she said.

Asked if she would attend the midnight premiere this week, Regalado said no.

"A lot of people talk during the whole movie about the book and it’s very annoying," she said of excited fans.

The last installment of the movies is expected to hit new records. Warner Bros. is releasing the movie into 4, 375 theaters and more than 11,000 screens in North America alone on Friday. This will make it the widest domestic Harry Potter film release.

As of Wednesday morning, Harry Potter is Fandango’s top ticket seller of 2011. The franchise finale has already sold more than 5,000 show times across the country before its official release date Friday.