The final Harry Potter adventure hit South African screens on Wednesday, and since its release, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” has earned almost R8.4 million in its opening weekend alone.

According to Channel24, fans lined up for hours to get tickets to be the first to see the film. The gross for the weekend was 31% higher than the previous best-grossing Harry Potter film. The income amount also makes the opening the third-biggest opening in South Africa of all time.

The film series itself has already been called the top-grossing film franchise ever – this distinction was given after only the first five films. The US box office’s record of “The Dark Knight” opening weekend’s $158 million was broken with this second part of the final “Harry Potter” film bringing in $168 million.

Around the world, the film has grossed $475 million in the opening weekend. Warner Brothers, the production company behind the film series, is certain that the film gross will hit a billion dollars.

Have you seen the film, and was it worth your cash?