Potter flies back to top US box office

Potter returns: Cinemas are expecting huge takings

The sorcery of Harry Potter has foiled the gadgetry of James Bond to reclaim the number one spot in the North American box office.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has now hit the $200m (£128.4m) mark 17 days after it was released, just missing out on breaking the first film's sales record by two days.

James Bond movie Die Another Day took the number one position in its opening week last week, but slipped to number two over the US Thanksgiving weekend.

George Clooney's movie is at number seven

According to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations, Harry Potter took $32.1m (£20.6m) over the three-day period and Die Another Day scooped $31m (£19.9m).

Disney's latest animated adventure Treasure Planet took a disappointing $11.9m (£7.6m) in its opening weekend, giving it fourth position.

It had been tipped as a potential Christmas winner but its first week performance was overshadowed by Tim Allen's The Santa Clause 2, which has moved up one place to number three.

Futuristic

Festive musical cartoon movie Adam Sandler's 8 Crazy Nights, co-written and featuring the voice of the Mr Deeds star, enters the chart at number five, taking $10.1m (£6.4m) in its opening weekend.

US/Canada
box office

1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2. Die Another Day

3. The Santa Clause 2

4. Treasure Planet

5. 8 Crazy Nights

Source: Exhibitor Relations

George Clooney's futuristic romance Solaris entered the chart at number seven, taking an unspectacular $6.8m (£4.3m) in its first three days.

Directed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, it is based on a science fiction book by Stanislaw Lem.

Die Another Day has reached the $100m (£64.2m) mark after 10 days, setting a new record.

The previous fastest sales record for a Bond movie was held by the 1999 release The World is Not Enough, which took 26 days to reach the same milestone.

The first instalment in the Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as it is known in the US, took 15 days to break the $200m barrier last year.