UPDATE: Latest Records Indicate that Harry Potter Has Shattered the New Moon Record

What a difference a few hours makes! After reporting earlier that New Moon would hold onto it’s record of midnight release sales, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 roared in with a last minute surge! Fandango has just issued the following press release:

“Tonight’s the night, as millions of moviegoers will band together to bid a fond, final farewell to the beloved characters of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”

Fandango has sold more midnight and early morning show tickets for “Part 2″‘ than it has for the late night openings of any other movie (including “The Dark Knight” and “New Moon”).

More than 6,000 of  tonight’s midnight shows are sold out in advance on Fandango, and theater owners are scrambling to post additional showtimes (many at 3:00 a.m.). “Part 2” currently represents 93% of today’s total ticket sales.

Fandango’s “Harry Potter” experts will be available in New York and Los Angeles for live commentary outside the theaters, where film fans are likely to dress up for the magical occasion. According to a Fandango survey of more than 1,000 moviegoers, more than 8% of midnight show ticket-buyers will arrive at the theater in special “Potter” regalia.

“‘Part 2”s midnight show ticket sales have been nothing short of extraordinary,” says Fandango Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Butler. “In the more than ten years that I’ve been with the company, I’ve never seen so many late night showtimes for a single movie sold out in advance. Thankfully, theater owners are adding new showtimes throughout the night to meet the fan demand.”

To everyone going to the midnight shows tonight enjoy! We’ll be there. Long live Remus Lupin, our first fandom book character crush!