LOS ANGELES, Nov 18: The Harry Potter film, a hugely hyped fantasy about a young English wizard, weaved magic at the North American box office, whipping up a record 93.5 million dollars in the first three days after its release, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which reportedly cost Warner Bros. Pictures 125 million dollars to produce and an additional 40 million dollars to market in North America alone, surpassed the three-day record of 72.1 million dollars held by 1997’s “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.”

Based on the bestselling children’s books by English author J.K. Rowling, “Harry Potter” opened on Friday in 3,672 theatres across the United States and Canada, and also in Britain where it is known as “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.”

Warner Bros. distribution president Dan Fellman said exit polls of North American moviegoers were “spectacular” and the film played broadly to both parents and children, readers and nonreaders.

“It’s just a win-win all the way around for us,” Fellman said. Warner Bros. is owned by AOL Time Warner Inc, AOL.N, which used other units such as its flagship America Online business to promote the film.

“Harry Potter” follows the exploits of a bespectacled orphan with magical powers who attends the Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Newcomer Daniel Radcliffe played the title character. The cast also including noted actors such as Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Richard Harris. Chris Columbus (“Mrs Doubtfire”) directed.

Warner Bros. was scheduled to begin shooting a sequel on Monday, with hopes that Harry Potter will become a huge franchise along the lines of the “Star Wars” and James Bond films. —Reuters