Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets maintained the magic with an estimated $42.4m in international ticket sales for Warner Bros over the weekend, bringing its cumulative total so far to a mighty $350m. There were 7.6m million admissions from more than 9,000 screens in 45 territories.

In South Korea, the picture set a new industry record for the biggest opening weekend of all time, taking $1.5m (Won 1.9bn) in the capital Seoul and surpassing the previous best set by Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone. It should be noted that this is a three-day total; the picture was released on Friday whereas films mostly come out on a Saturday. There were 227,071 admissions from 87 screens. It was also the biggest Saturday and the biggest Sunday of all time in the territory. The figures outperformed The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring by 95%, Spider-Man by 43% and Star Wars - Episodes I and II by 104% and 127% respectively. Nationwide it grossed $4.3m (Won 5.1bn).

In its second week in France, Chamber Of Secrets held on to top spot with $8.18m (Euros 8.21m) from 1.5 million admissions, which was 6% better than second-week figures for the original. The running total is now $23.4m (Euros 23.5m). In Italy Harry and friends opened second behind the local title opener La Leggenda Di Al, John E Jack, grossing $3.65m (Euros 3.66m), with 642,487 admissions from 690 screens, which was 4% below the original in local currency. The cumulative score now stands at $10.56m (Euros 10.59m).

The picture held on to number one in its fourth week in Japan, down 22% from the previous weekend for $7.7m (Yen 927.1m) from 849 screens and a $67.6m (Yen 8.1bn) running total. In its third week in Spain Chamber Of Secrets stayed at the top with $2.23m (Euros 2.25m) from 478,000 admissions across 491 screens. The estimated running total is $15.2m (Euros 15.4m). Mexico yielded $1.2m in its third week from 380,097 admissions across 655 screens for a $10.5m cumulative score. It held on to number one in its fourth week in Brazil, grossing a nationwide box office of $382,414 (R$1.4m) from 209,312 admissions on 358 screens (477 prints) for a cumulative score to date of $5.2m (R$18.6m). Argentinais third week produced a terrific $150,605 (Ps 525,672), with 102,124 admissions on 148 screens/prints for a $1.2m (Ps 4.3m) running score. It held on to top spot with a 35% market share, making it the biggest third weekend ever for a Warner Bros picture.

The family sequel stayed at the top in Holland in its fourth outing for a $6.7m cumulative score. The same went for Belgium ($4.9m running total), Denmark ($5.5m running total) and Norway ($4.7m running total). Other major territory cumulative scores are $69.4m in its fifth week in the UK; $49.2m in its fifth week in Germany; and $12.7m in its third week in Australia.