Harry Potter soars above Bond in box office

The Harry Potter film series has stolen James Bond’s crown to become the biggest franchise in box office history.

While the 22 spy films took $4.44bn around the world, the five Potter movies have surpassed the figure with $4.47bn.

Two more Potter films are due to be released, based on the hit JK Rowling books, in the next three years.

Warner Bros’ domestic distribution president Dan Fellman told The Hollywood Reporter: “It is amazing to think what heights the franchise could reach by the end of the decade.”

Each of the five Harry Potter films is in the top 20 cinema releases in history.

JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel was published 10 years ago, sparking a publishing sensation.