High School Musical Breaks U.K. Records

The latest installment in the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL movie series has already begun breaking box office records in the U.K. – the teen picture has taken the most advance bookings ever.

The film, starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, is due for release in Britain on 22 October (08), but cinemas across the country have already started booking for the first screenings.

And now the third High School Musical has broken the record set by 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, selling more than $925,000 (#500,000) in advance tickets.

J.K. Rowling’s wizard adventure took just $419,950 (#227,000) at the same time before release.

Rupert Gavin, chief executive of Britain’s Odeon cinema chain, says, “Our cinemas have been inundated with calls to pre-book tickets for what could be the year’s biggest kids and teen audience movie. With schools breaking up for half-term just as High School Musical 3 opens, we are bracing ourselves for a huge first week run.”

The original TV movie was broadcast on the Disney channel in January 2006 and went on to become an unexpected worldwide hit.

The sequel’s premiere was watched by 18.6 million people in the U.S. last summer (08) – breaking cable TV records.

(LR/WNWCCB&PR/ZN)