“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” led the foreign box office with a massive $191 million. The “Harry Potter” prequel series launched in North America with $62 million for a global weekend haul of $253 million.

The Wizarding World installment needs to do well overseas to justify its costly $200 million budget and make up for a potentially lackluster domestic performance. While its North American debut has stalled compared to its predecessor, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the follow-up has already seen a stronger showing from overseas........

© Variety