4K 3D re-release of Harry Potter movie tops China's weekend box office

18 years after it was first released in China, the enchanting world of the Harry Potter film franchise continues to wield its magic.

Warner Bros' 4K 3D digital restoration of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone — the first movie in the eight-film franchise — raked in an estimated $19 million from 16,000 screens in China over the weekend of Aug 14 to 16, according to box office consultancy Artisan Gateway.

This included $3 million from 594 IMAX venues in China. 

That weekend saw many movie screens in China returning to service with relaxed seating restrictions, which allowed for more tickets to be sold. The country is the second-biggest movie market in the world, after the US.

"We are thrilled to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone delight a new generation of audiences," Warner Bros executive Andrew Cripps said in a statement. "The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal."

Based on J.K. Rowling's phenomenally successful books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone — starring Daniel Radcliffe in the titular role with Emma Watson as Hermione Granger and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley — was first released globally in 2001. It was released in China later in January 2002.

Besides old classics, Chinese audiences also flocked to the theatres to catch new release The Eight Hundred, a war epic directed by Guan Hu. The Eight Hundred began preview screenings on Aug 14 and officially opened on Aug 21, earning $190.47 million in four days, Forbes reported. 

jacylntang@asiaone.com