And in its way, it’s the best performing of all the Potter’s and beat the record-breaking opening week of “Transformers.” Michael Bay and the robots had a record-breaking $152 million week, but that was on 6 ½ days, the the Fourth of July holiday in the middle of the week, making the whole period like a weekend with people off school or work during several mid-week days. And yet Potter almost zapped them with just a regular Wednesday opening and following weekend for the five-day $140 million total.

The numbers were big, but not enough to beat the previous Potter pure weekend film openings: “Goblets of Fire” drank in $103 million on its first Friday to Sunday, “Prisoner of Azkaban” locked up $94 million on its first weekend, “Sorcerer’s Stone” brought in $90 million and “Chamber of Secrets” scared up $88 million. But don’t cry for Harry because the fifth film’s five-day global take will bring the total worldwide franchise gross to some $5.9 billion to date, nothing to shake your wand at.

Wreaking havoc at number two were the robotic dynamos of “Transformers,” who stayed busy with $36 million this weekend, bringing their two-week total gross to a formidable $223 million. Holding its own against the big, scary summer blockbusters was Disney’s critical darling “Ratatouille,” that ate up $18 million for third place. Rat or not, the Pixar piece is cooking up a storm, with a total gross three-week of an estimated $143 million.

“Live Free or Die Hard” refuses to surrender, holding court at number four with $10.9 million for its third week. A total gross $102.9 million is more than respectable for a sequel most never even expected so many years later.

Robin Williams vehicle “License to Wed” lost a few guests, despite being expanded into over a 100 new theaters, but still brought in $7.4 million which was enough to stay at fifth. For the second week in a row Stephen King thriller “1408” held a reservation at the number sixth spot, this time scaring up $5 million, bringing its four-week total to about $62.2 million.

Down two slots this week was epic comedy “Evan Almighty” that gathered just under $5 million to reside at seventh. Still gripping audiences with its labor pains seven weeks out, “Knocked Up” earned $3.7 million at number eight, bringing its total take to $138.2 mil.

Roger Moore “Sicko” continued to raise temperatures at number nine for the second week in a row with $2.7 million. The shock doc expanded to 54 new screens, but still dropped 26 % its fourth week out. Also at the same slot it held last week, “Ocean’s Thirteen” won the tenth again with $1.9 million. This brought the star-studded sequel’s six-week total to $112.4 million.

The only other major Friday the 13th opener, Roland Joffe’s “Captivity” didn’t crack the top 10 with its $1.6 million pittance, but instead had to settle for the confines of the twelfth spot, according to boxofficemojo.com. The latest in a long line of grisly but ultimately unmemorable horror flicks, “Captivity” stirred up some buzz a few months ago with its shocking ad campaign that featured the usually fresh-faced Elisha Cuthbert in some terrifying situations, but it wasn’t enough to capture an audience.

Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Warner Bros.)
$77.4 million | 4,285 | $140.0 million | 1

2. Transformers (Paramount (DreamWorks))
$36.0 million | 4,050 | $223.0 million | 2

3. Ratatouille (Buena Vista)
$18.0 million | 3,625 | $143.0 million | 3

4. Live Free or Die Hard (Fox)
$10.9 million | 3,201 | $102.9 million | 3

5. License to Wed (Warner Bros.)
$7.4 million | 2,715 | $30.5 million | 2

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