Warner Bros. crosses $1B mark for '09

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LOS ANGELES, July 21 (UPI) -- Hollywood's Warner Bros. Pictures says it has already surpassed the $1 billion threshold in domestic box office revenue for 2009.

The studio said it enjoyed a robust start to the year with the expansion of Clint Eastwood's acclaimed drama "Gran Torino," which became Eastwood's largest opening weekend and highest-grossing film ever with more than $148 million at the box office.

The subsequent successes of "Watchmen," New Line Cinema's "He's Just Not That Into You," "Friday the 13th" and "17 Again," along with this summer's breakout hit "The Hangover," which at more than $235 million has become the highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever, and now the tremendous opening of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," pushed Warner Bros. Pictures over the $1 billion threshold in 192 days, the studio said.

The sixth installment in the "Harry Potter" franchise has earned a worldwide box office gross of $394 million. The film brought in $158 million from the United States and Canada, and $236 million internationally, making it the highest-grossing international opening of any film ever, Warner Bros. said.

"Our tentpole strategy combined with an enormously diverse overall slate has once again proved profitable at the box office," Dan Fellman, president of distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, said in a statement. "We could not be more proud of the studio's achievements already this year, and we're anticipating an even bigger second half of 2009."