The latest Harry Potter movie has beaten the previous opening record for the franchise in the US and Canada.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010) took $125.1m (£77.9m) at the weekend box office, taking it straight to the top of the chart.

The previous best weekend debut in the series was $102.7m (£64m) for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) in 2005.

The latest Potter movie, the first of two final films, has now made $330m (£205.5m) in global ticket sales.

The film also looks set to smash UK cinema box office records, according to studio estimates.

Warner Bros said Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 took £5.9m on Friday and £6.6m on Saturday.

This already breaks previous records of biggest Friday, biggest Saturday and biggest single day.

With Sunday estimates of £4.9m it is on course to beat the previous record of £15.3m for a three-day opening, held by the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010) is the penultimate instalment in the fantasy film franchise.

The books' creator JK Rowling said David Yates' film - the seventh in the series - was her favourite so far.

Source: Press Release