Twilight II takes in a record $73 million on Friday
By Jeffrey Jolson
Why is New Moon besting Potter and Batman?
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 11/21/09 – “New Moon” rose over any motion picture ever with a $72.7 million opening day. The vampire romance film with Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart even won best-ever Midnight showings (Officially 12:01 Friday, though we might think of as Thursday night) with $26 million at 3,514 cemeteries in the U.S..
How did Edward and Co. do this? First some stats, and add your creative explanation below, of how a vampire movie could beat two of the biggest films of the biggest movie sagas ever.
With that Midnight show, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” beat out “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” which waved its wand at 3003 sites to scare up $22M.
By the end of the full Friday, New Moon’s 73M eclipsed even the widely anticipated “The Dark Knight” which flew over 3040 Gotham movie houses to take in $67M.
The first “Twilight” bundled off $7m at midnight showings and a solid total of $36 million by the end of Opening Day. Even that was a surprise to many despite the popular book series, and the film went on to an astounding $191 million at domestic box office.
By day’s end New Moon was shown on 8,600 screens at 4,024 sites, yet will it fall to the same scenario as Twilight, which had a big Opening Day, though Saturday and Sunday did not keep pace? Again, put in your guesses and comments below, and tune in to hollywoodtoday.net Sunday morning for the official weekend estimates.
Again, we are most interested in knowing the “why” this film is doing so well. We know the predecessor was a hit, and that Pattinson is an Elvis-like hunk. But after his self-imposed exile, he isn’t the focus of this film, Stewart is, and Pattinson mostly appears in ethereal form to guide her.
Yet most all vampires, from books and the earliest days of film and then TV, have had a dashing, sexy, toothy one as a dark protagonist/antagonist. So why is THIS film breaking records?
And can it beat Dark Knight’s opening weekend of $158M. Not if it runs out of gas today like the original Twilight did. But if it does, Edward the Vampire will sit on a lofty throne indeed.
Friday Box Office: Nov. 20, 2009
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Summit) $ 72.7
The Blind Side (WB) $ 10.9
2012 (Sony) $ 8.1
Precious (Lionsgate) $ 3.5
Planet 51 (Sony) $ 3.2
13 responses so far ↓
1 nik // Nov 21, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Because Kristen Stewart is an amazing actress who portrayed such an emotional book to the exact description Stephanie Meyer wrote. She doesn’t recieve enough acclaim for her role as its overshadowed by the media hype of the Twilight guys. But at the end of the day its Kristen who carries Twilight films and her acting blows any other away. She is Twilight.
2 Jaclyn // Nov 21, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Because us Twilight fans ROCK better than fanboys!
Men don’t understand the series because they don’t tap into their emotions like us women.
I hope we do beat the Dark Knight even thought I like that movie.
But anyways of course guys aren’t going to like a romance movie or book series.
If they said they liked twilight they would feel embarrassed.
3 Jaclyn // Nov 21, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Because us Twilight fans ROCK better than fanboys!
Men don’t understand the series because they don’t tap into their emotions like us women.
I hope we do beat the Dark Knight even thought I like that movie.
But anyways of course guys aren’t going to like a romance movie or book series.
If they said they liked twilight they would feel embarrassed.
4 Kara // Nov 21, 2009 at 4:42 pm
TWILIGHT IZ AMAZING!!!!!!!!
5 jamie // Nov 21, 2009 at 5:48 pm
the reason people like it cause its scandalous and a soap opera movie with drama and hot guys.. i love the movie and love the books, but thats y i think its doing so well.. plus like nik said Kristen is caring the cast and makes twilight.. rob and taylor are hotties but u couldn’t have a triangle love without Kristen.. I love her to death i’ve followed all her movies.. Twilight saga rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6 UaJerk // Nov 21, 2009 at 7:20 pm
The above comments pretty much sum it up…because the world has a lot of people with veeery low expectations of quality.
Pour enough ants down someone’s pants and they could twitch enough to be a better 13-year-old-girl-personafied than Stewart. I swore to myself I would NEVER see Twilight because I knew it would be so terrible. Well I was wrong, and I almost shat myself when I saw how utterly, dissgustingly out of context it was. Not from the book but from movies, from life, from fantasy even. It’s funny cuz it appears as if the movie is telling all the mormon kids ‘this is kinda what you’d feel if you DID touch yourself..or anyone’ I mean seriously, all this is was a Hallmark stamped, placebo to cure starting puberty. WORST “acting” I’ve seen by any ‘actor’; HORRID makeup…I can’t even begin to imagine what those 50 cent face paint masks look like on an HD tv; BORING as HELL camera angles and, as this second movie proved with it’s early clip of Jacob’s..uh..”transformation”, such childish attempts at special effects. It’s not 1995 anymore and most of you fans don’t even remember 1995! How about you watch a real movie, something made before the terrible 2000 hit.
I was most dissapointed with Nicki Reid, tho. She’s always been an idol and amazing director/writer/actress but knowing that she helped produce this movie..it kinda breaks my heart. Altho she did hold the spotlight for best scene..when Bella goes to the house and Rosaline smashes that bowl and you see her walk away in those heels that were SOOO DIRE!
These movies are disgusting. They are Perverted. And THIS is what we have to show since Blade?? I mean, Underworld bases, but just, and 40 Days of Night was really bad, but THIS…Twilight….is what we have to show for a near decade of wait?? I do not understand.
7 Jess // Nov 22, 2009 at 11:31 am
the reason people like it cause. Love it makes you think there is tru love. That there is love so tru, so powerful that any thing can happen.
8 Jess // Nov 22, 2009 at 11:31 am
the reason people like it cause. Love it makes you think there is tru love. That there is love so tru, so powerful that any thing can happen.
9 Jess // Nov 22, 2009 at 11:31 am
the reason people like it cause. Love it makes you think there is tru love. That there is love so tru, so powerful that any thing can happen.
10 erica // Nov 22, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I’m the only 13 year old girl in the world who is obsessed with Harry Potter and is disgusted by Twilight =/
11 james // Nov 22, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I should sue every last on of you for killing my brain cells.
Some of you people have no idea what a good movie is.
Do you yourself a favor and watch some real moves like “Falling Down” or “Fight Club” and be enlightened.
12 Bhima // Nov 23, 2009 at 1:50 am
Totally agree with erica, Harry Potter beats Twilight by tenfold! I reckon Twilight is too overrated and dramatic ..there are so many other reasons as to why it sucks in my opinion.
Twilight represents the new generation too much, in a bad way.
13 fhey // Dec 14, 2009 at 3:52 am
amazing…i love it…im going crazy to watch and watch again and again that movie….harry potter(best)but this movie with lot of vampire haahaahh….so terrific…the best among the best….
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