Before Harry Potter 8's midnight only gross is beaten.

Yes there will be

I'm sure midnights will be popular again before movie theaters CEASE TO EXIST.

When On Demand option and same day streaming becomes more available with some sort of anti-piracy device, it will happen.

DVDs, CDs and arcades are already phased out so why not

I disagree.

It's right on par with others. Revenge of the Sith held it for 3 years, before that ROTK 2 years earlier, then one film from 08-11. 3--5 years later something will top it. Sith crushed it on a Wednesday night in May. A Friday night with a lot people off off by that close to Christmas, SW is probably good for at least 35 million in previews. I think 45-50 million in previews is not impossible at all for it.

The second place movie is 13.5 million less. What franchises in the future are going to ever have such pent up interest. It now appears that The Hunger Games will never be that frontloaded. The Marvel movies are never so big at midnight. What will ever possibly beat it?

I think it is even safe to say that we'll never have any film beat that in early grosses period. Not just midnight.

Also I'm pretty sure DH2 had pre midnight screenings as well. I know since about 08 more and more films were opening before midnight.

Final SW film will surely top 43 million if the first doesn't, and Hunger Games 4 can as well. Remember the last in the series helps big time. DH1 did 24 million, DH2 43 million. It's safe to say it'll be topped by 2018 the latest.

If Batman V Superman works, Justice League in July could easily do it as well.
Avengers also tended to be more backloaded first time out, but still did a great 18.5. It beat Potter the rest of the time. As the series goes on, previews will be much higher.

Star Wars Episode 7 is definitely not doing it at midnight. It will do 25 million at most due to its December opening and a muted response to the prequels. If it sucks, the sequel will probably decrease. Even if its good, i find it hard to believe it will ever be so front loaded. Star Wars will meet its modern ceiling before it beats Avatar. And a DC movie could only do it if they start not sucking. The Justice League movie is coming out in 2018, so I find it hard to believe that the franchise will be healed enough in time for it to get such an opening. And if The Avengers can't even hit 20 million at midnight, I see no reason for The Justice League to be any more front loaded. And Potter was just at midnight. I remember my sister buying our tickets.

The 2 terrible prequels before didn't stop Sith from more than doubling the the previous record holder. Add in the return of the original cast, and an actual Friday opening, something that has never been done in 30+ years for SW, it will be huge. Hell Sith adjusts to 22 million. And that's without 3D which is probably the most exciting 3D film since Avatar.

I'm not saying your wrong, but no one ever thought Sith would be topped, or Tdk after DH1, I assure you there are 4-6 current films that have solid to great chances at beating it

Yeah never say never. It's likely to be beaten.

Star Wars 7.

I don't see a direct relationship between the absence of new movie theaters and the breaking of Harry Potter 8's midnight record.

And anyway, if there's no cinemas, a film cannot break any midnight record.

You'll all see that I'm right in a few years time...

A few years? lol

There could be a movie that could bring back the craze for midnights in future but with the early previews medium size franchises are easily making more money over OW which helps them market the opening. That trend will not go away so the true midnight record might not be broken but then we have to stop considering DH2 had only midnights, from what I remember it had 10pm shows (maybe even 8pm??)

It did, I went to a 10 PM. There hasn't really been many legit midnight only films in almost 10-12 years. 03 is the last summer I can remember when every film was midnight with the exception of Reloaded. Thank god its changed, I remember being in high school the day after ROTK, I wanted to die. Waiting the additional two extra hours does not take away from the fact that you are seeing it the night before.

Double. Can we not delete posts anymore?

The midnight gross will never truly be beaten since midnight grosses don't exist anymore. Everything is opening up at 7 or 8 now with multiple show times after that. Also, theatres aren't going anywhere. I still got a drive in theatre in my area so...

There'll be a huge midnight in the future, if only for the novelty. People that grew up with midnights will be the future filmmakers and producers in 10-20 years. One of them will do it for nostalgia sake, if nothing else.

^ Adding to his point there are always series like Twilight which can do gangbusters and thinking ahead in future if the frontloaded nature of movies continue we can see movies in future that make their entire money over midnight. I am talking 20 years from now, maybe but theaters will still exist I am sure.

In 20 years, theaters will exist, but hardly anyone will go. Like CDs today. And if HP 8 had 10PM showings, there weren't any at any of the theaters around me.

That's not the correct comparison, dude. People still go to concerts. Ergo; cinemas aren't dying away any time soon.