Are fans seeing the final installment of "The Lord of the Rings"? You betcha.

"The Return of the King" grossed an estimated $34.1 million, according to studio figures, on Wednesday, breaking the record for the biggest Wednesday opening ever. It beat out 1999's "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," which grossed $28.5 million.

Some $8 million of that opening day came in midnight showings alone, according to reports.

Also, the people are pouring in to see the film more than the previous ones. "The Two Towers," the second film in the trilogy, only grossed $26.1 million on its opening day. Some studio analysts feel that the final installment could break the $1 billion mark when it's all said and done. The first two films have grossed $1.8 billion worldwide.

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