The film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them recorded the lowest opening among Rowling's Harry Potter universe - earning $ 75 million in its debut in USA and Canada.

It was a more modest debut than any of the Potter films, but Warner argued that comparisons are not fair. The first films were based on global best-selling books, while Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is largely a new work.

Even so, the debut dominated the cinemas this weekend confirming the Warner Brothers studio's high expectations for the franchise and its decision to fund four more films.

The production is a spin-off the Harry Potter saga, but instead of at Hogwarts school the action takes place in New York City in the 1920s and brings a whole new cast of magicians and mythical creatures.

The studio spent $ 180 million on the film with the hiring of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling to write the screenplay and the director David Yates, who had previously directed four previous Potter adventures.