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10TH UPDATE, THURSDAY 11 PM: No. 1 at the North American box office was the Twilight Saga: Eclipse with what looks like $24.2M today for a new cume of $92.8M and $110M for 5 days with a total of $178M for the 6-day July Fouth Holiday since Wednesday. That would put the pic just shy of Spider-Man 2 which holds the July 4th holiday record with $180M.
9TH UPDATE, THURSDAY 3:30 PM: Summit Entertainment is disclosing that THE TWILIGHT SAGA: Eclipse had “an incredible start” internationally. Despite great weather and the World Cup, Eclipse launched with an estimated $19M from 22 markets. The only major territories that opened on June 30th were Italy, Brazil, and Russia. Other majors like Spain, Australia and Mexico launch today. France, Germany, S. Korea and Japan will launch in the weeks to come. Here are some highlights of opening day results: Eclipse Kicks Off Big International Run
8TH UPDATE, THURSDAY 8 AM: I can report now that the 3rd film in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga series of novels is off to a record-breaking start at the North American box office. Summit Entertainment’s ECLIPSE opened to $68.5 million today which shattered the best-ever $62 million for a Wednesday single day opening set last summer by Paramount’s Transformers 2. That $68.5M included Eclipse‘s record-setting $30M from Wednesday 12:01 AM and 3 AM showings at more than 4,000 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. Eclipse also registered the biggest single day opening during the summer play period, besting The Dark Knight‘s $67.2M. But the Twilight saga’s 2nd film, New Moon, still holds the largest single day opening record of $72 million. Eclipse is playing in 4,416 domestic locations, which sets another record for the biggest ever release in Hollywood history, surpassing Iron Man 2‘s 4,380 venues.
Stay tuned for the David Slade-directed Eclipse starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner from Melissa Rosenberg’s script to set more records over this 6-day July 4th holiday weekend. I’ve learned that 57% of the audience attending opening day did so because of the “subject matter”, while 36% did so because of the actor in the lead role, and 15% because of the actress in the lead role. Eclipse received a Cinemascore overall grade of “A” with 92% of moviegoers giving the pic an A or B.
7TH UPDATE, WEDNESDAY 11 PM: 
My sources tonight peg today’s Eclipse opening number from 4,416 theaters to $65M, which breaks the best ever $62 million for a Wednesday opening set last summer by Paramount’s Transformers 2. That $65M includes Eclipse‘s record-setting $30M from Wednesday 12:01 AM and 3 AM showings at more than 4,000 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. But the Twilight saga’s 2nd film, New Moon, still holds the largest movie single day opening record of $72 million.
6TH UPDATE, WEDNESDAY 10:45 AM: ECLIPSE opened in excess of $30M from 12:01 AM and 3 AM screenings at over 4,000 North American theaters today for a new record. It bested the midnights record of New Moon’s $26.3M. IMAX also set a midnights record, taking in over $1M at 192 theaters and besting Transformers 2‘s $959K.
5TH UPDATE, WEDNESDAY 8 AM: Photos and anecdotes from around the USA are pouring into me overnight and this morning from the 12:01 AM and 3 AM Eclipse screenings at 4,000+ North American theaters today. 
Long snaking lines formed for Summit Entertainment’s third movie in the Twilight Saga franchise at the AMC Highlands Ranch just south of Denver around 4 PM Tuesday for all 2,600 seats of the sold-out midnight shows. At the Cinemark Theatre in Orem, just outside of Salt Lake City, lines began forming in the early afternoon and were wrapped around the building by 9 PM. Long queues were sighted at the Cinemark Valley View in Cleveland. Same scene at the AMC Tyson’s Corner Movie Theater , a suburb of Washington DC. The first line formed at 8 PM Tuesday at the AMC Garden State Plaza in Paramus, a suburb of NYC. Twi-Hards in Detroit were out in force at the MJR Marketplace where people who’d pledged allegiance to the Cullen family or the Wolf Pack waited hours in line. All 20 theaters were sold out for their midnight showings. Fans indulged in trivia and in detailed Edward vs. Jacob debates while they waited in line wearing their Twilight Saga T-shirts. In Bellevue outside Seattle, 1,300 people stood in line for midnight shows at Lincoln Square. Crowds also formed in LA, Manhattan, and Chicago.
TUESDAY 11PM: I can report that theaters are mobbed by Twi-hards at Wednesday 12:01 AM screenings in Boston, NYC, Washington DC, Paramus N.J., Detroit, Cleveland, Denver, Salt Lake City, Bellevue WA, as well as in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Africa, Hungary, and Finland.
Because unless you dwell underground or are a heterosexual male (just kidding), then you know that theaters across the U.S. and Canada and overseas are crowded with females of all ages for the opening of Eclipse. They need their feature film fix of heroine Bella deciding between Team Jacob vs Team Edward played by Kristin Stewart, Taylor Lautner, and Robert Pattinson as novelized by Stephenie Meyer and scripted by Melissa Rosenberg.
Around noon today I broke the news that Summit Entertainment is releasing the third movie in the Twilight Saga franchise into a record 4,416 theaters in North America. That’s the biggest ever in Hollywood history, surpassing Iron Man 2 which scored 4,380 venues. Over 4,000 theaters in North America ran 12:01 AM screenings Wednesday of the film including all 193 IMAX locations. Several theater chains and 120 IMAX theaters also programmed 3:00 AM screenings to meet fan demand. The movie currently accounts for 91% of Fandango’s daily online ticket sales. From Fandango’s most recent survey of more than 1,000 Eclipse ticket-buyers: Eclipse has stronger date night appeal than New Moon or Twilight and its action is a bigger draw than before. At this point it is expected that additional theaters will be added for Friday, July 2nd. Just how many will be known in the next day or two.
Internationally the film will debut this week in 42 territories including Australia, Italy, Spain, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Belgium, Netherlands, Philippines, Turkey, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, among others.
The studio isn’t playing the lowering expectations game this time around; Summit execs know Eclipse is going to be huge. The only question is whether it’ll surpass the Twilight sequel New Moon which was the biggest yet. ”New Moon set the bar so high as a cultural phenomenon that Eclipse can only try to reach that number,” a Summit exec told me. A lot is going to depend on whether Eclipse will attract more men because of its high-octane vampires vs werewolves brawling directed by 30 Days Of Night horror film helmer David Slade.
Going into Wednesday, 3 of the 4 major tracking services pegged Eclipse to New Moon numbers: an opening weekend of $142.8M domestic (and an eventual worldwide total of $710M). It’s likely that Eclipse’s front-loaded 6-day opening could gross anywhere from $150M to $179M. (Spider-Man 2 holds the July 4th holiday record with $180M.) All on a budget of just $68M. That fact alone makes the major studios green with envy.
The fandemonium has been frenzied for months: the TWILIGHT SAGA Facebook page now has 6.665 million fans. It’s the largest of all the film pages, with more fans than Iron Man, Harry Potter, Transformers, and Toy Story Facebook pages combined. So many Twi-hards stood in line in advance of last week’s Eclipse premiere that Summit Entertainment had to set up two tent cities in Downtown Los Angeles. Eclipse has been both Fandango’s and MovieTickets.com’s top advance ticket-seller of the year. This week, Entertainment Weekly, the official magazine of receptionists, has a cover line proclaiming Eclipse the “best of the Twilight Saga so far”.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Twink Light once again proves that women’s suffrage was a HUGE mistake. On the plus if I slap on some pale make up and glitter I can easily pick off a dumpy 40 year old broads in a loveless marriage pining for bony English poofs or gay teenage werewolves pretty easy.
Not trying to undermine your looks, but I dont think so. I dont think the female population is that stupid, considering your attitude.
the Facebook page now has 7 million fans & growing by the minute.
cannot wait to see the first numbers come in, should be epic.
Okay, I’ll admit it. I am a straight male, no, not a metro-sexual (whatever the hell that is). I haven’t seen ANY of the movies, so here’s my question: Didn’t we ALREADY visit these concepts AT LENGTH with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel? It’s been said that the vampire thing is nothing but a thinly veiled RAPE sexual fantasy. I think that’s a fairly accurate assessment. So IF I understand this trilogy’s (I think it’s a trilogy) concept then basically we are playing with the idea of rape of some angst ridden near teens? Yikes! Not so cool when you think of it in REALISTIC terms, huh? Give it up pseudo-vamps, the whole world’s coming apart. You better focus on getting a job or something
WTF are you talking about???
When posting a comment on here it actually says “don’t get your facts wrong”. So I say to you: ‘don’t get your facts wrong’.
Have you actually read the books and seen the movies because from your comment it’s clear you haven’t!
What connection between vampire thing and rape??? Twilight saga is all about holding back, virtue and the deeper feelings between lovers.
What do you know about pseudo-vamps and their jobs? FYI…I’m part of a Twi-group where there are only adult women (no teeny teens) with families, husbands and JOBS! Ain’t that something!
In fact some of us have done very high profile studies and have excellent jobs. So I really think you should stick to commenting on stuff you know sh*t about!
There’s a reason why they’re the critics and you’re not… I’ll let you think about that for a while.
I thought about it and yes, the critics are ignoring the facts that this ground has been covered (at nauseum) by Buffy and Angel and Fright Night and Dracula ….and….and…
I want substence, not special effects or over-used, tired plot formulas. Why would anyone go to a movie knowing exactly how it goes? You are right…I am not a critic…I am a pre-emptive critic. I won’t waste my money on garbage and that’s the bottom line. $$$$$
Hey Nikki, you misspelled Twi-tards.
And i think you misspelled your name. It should be asshole
No, it should be Twi-Turds.
Summit Entertainment knows their audience and gives them what they want. More power to them. Meanwhile, the rest of us are supposed to appreciate Best Pictures of the Year that nobody wants to see and steaming piles of $135M dreck interchangeable with the other 95 steaming piles they try to sell us.
Anyone who doesn’t understand the appeal of Twilight for its target demographic should find a new line of work or spend a half-hour letting a teenage girl’s mother explain it to them.
This has nothing to do with being straight, or male, merely a person of intelligence and taste. If you posess either then you likely despise these books & films, and if you lack both you are probably in line for a ticket right now.
How is it that if you (the smartest person on the planet, i’m sure) don’t like these books and movies the rest of us are stupid. I am 32 and male with a wife and 2 daughters and I read all the books in about 2 weeks and I am usually not one for vampires, but Meyer went a new direction with them. Not the chessy Dracula types that are absurd to me. Yeah it’s for teenage girls mostly (and yes they are annoying screamers) but I liked the books and now the movies. Although the books are always better because the character developement is better. But overall I liked them. Sorry I’m not a big macho guy that has to tell you all I hate them because I don’t want anonymous people online to think I’m gay. Give me a break with that garbage.
I heard Oprah is a fan. Does that makes her a person of non-intelligence and bad taste?
Ohhhh….yes.
My daughter is at the top of her class. My wife and daughter in law are both intelligent. And all three sat watched all three movies last night starting at 6:30, and had a great time.
Me? I haven’t seen them yet. I’m partial to comedies, usually ones the critics hate.
I have a 4.0 GPA and I’m on the Dean’s List at my college… I love the Twilight Saga and I don’t need assholes like you telling me and all the other fans that we’re not intelligent .. I think that you are the one that is an idiot and I have no shame in calling you a biased fool. Grow up and move along.. no one cares what you think.
Hate to say it, but TDK could go down. Took my niece last night to see it and the crowd went nuts. Guys included. They really responded to the movie. Shockingly as for me I liked it a whole damn lot. Easily the best in the franchise. There’s actually action and suspense and you actually give a shit about the characters. Pattinson and Lautner can actually act which is a testament to David Slade’s skills as a director. Shockingly good piece of work. It’ll do at least over 400 million domestic. Easy.
the question is will it reach one billion dollars?
I’m a man’s man as they come and I enjoy all the books and the Movie was great to see at 12:00 last night. Just think, Esme, Bella, Alice, Rosalie and Jessica. What isn’t to like. This is the best book and movie thus far.
Next up, the two Harry Potter movies then the last two movies from Breaking Dawn.
Twilight = Transformers for girls.
Awkward Bella = awkward Shia.
Robert Pattinson = Megan Fox.
Sexy vampires = cool robots.
Got it now? It’s not a masterpiece, but neither is it proof girls are stupid — any more than the success of Transformers means guys are stupid. Both franchises are hormone-specific market-driven merchandise.
You make a good point. Transformers IS EVEN DUMBER than TWLT. Transformers appeared to me as the scientology faith set to robots. Am I wrong? I apologize to all TWLT fans, because I have seen Transformers (DVD, at my brother’s house)and it is WAY dumber than TWLT…I haven’t seen any of the TWLT movies, but I’ll take it on faith that they are not as dumb based on the Dracula/Buffy/Angel/Fright Night plots which they have sought to immitate.
the original transformers cartoon/mythology is AWESOME if you’re the type of person who enjoys comics. the whole good vs. evil premise (to me) is far more interesting than a stupid vampire/werewolf/ human love story like twilight. but then again, it’s about personal preference.
Liz, your post should be framed for all the clueless idiots bloviating and trying to act superior than thou.
As if every movie one goes to see has to be Citizen Kane.
Girls want what we want, just as much as guys want to wash sh*t get blown up.
You don’t see me making fun of lonely nerdy fanboys who play pokemon and jack off to anime p or n, every time Transformers breaks the bank. Sheesh
it seems like a reasonable comparison on the surface, but boys don’t rewatch transformers the way girls rewatch twilight, or literally yell, scream, cry, hyperventilate, etc. when the new trailer hits the net. i’d say the closest thing to twilight for males is star wars, BUT at least the first 3 star wars are arguably well-crafted pieces of filmmaking that revolutionized sci-fi/fantasy and special effects in cinema (any unbiased movie-goer would agree to this). at least transformers (which i dislike just as much) features some truly impressive CG animation. what does twilight have to offer to the unfamiliar viewer? twilight seems to just be a result of absolutely perfect casting and timing. that is all.
It may not be contributing to the aesthetic part of cinema but one thing that I can recall that the industry credit Twilight for, is that it opens the eyes of the industry that female-driven movies can also earn big bucks in Hollywood.I can specifically remember when Twilight opened, that it made studios rethink making movies for women and hiring women directors in Hollywood. The first twilight movie directed by Catherine Hardwicke was the highest grossing movie directed by a female director. At least that has some studios rethinking in hiring female directors.
Just to add. The boys may not scream like the girls in Twilight do but i think they drool over megan fox continously
True. Definitely true. But while this may not be proof of stupidity per se, it is proof of depressingly low standards.
I’ve read all the books and I’ve only seen the first movie. I can understand why teenage girls and their moms love the books/movies, but I’d rather soak my eyes in lamp oil and start at the sun for two hours than re-read or watch the other movies.
Both the books and movies suffer from a lack of a strong female character and the acting in the first film was dismal as best. I’m not really thinking they amped it up acting wise for the 2nd or 3rd. I could be wrong–but I’ll never know.
Now, Twi-Hards, commence with the freaking out. . .
Of course they suffer from a lack of a strong female character! What would a strong female character do to the whole “I want to be be VICTIMIZED” (or nearly violated) concept here? At least Buffy would eventually break open a can of whoop ass!
Never underestimate the spending power of horny young girls. Remember Frank Sinatra or The Beatles? Nothing has changed over the years, just the faces. Film quality isn’t a concern.
Right ‘prompter Bob,’ nothing has changed – young horny girls, and old horny girls for that matter can break a lot of banks, just like they did for Sinatra and the Beatles — so why is it Hollywood can’t seem to crack that code, and deliver more of same, if for no other reason than to fill coffers to overflowing. Most likely, it’s because as you say, “nothing has changed,” and females are always “underestimated.” Hollywood doesn’t take your advice ‘Prompter Bob.’ Thus they ‘leave money on the table,’ every time. They’d much rather snicker at the success of a female oriented blockbuster movie than try to duplicate it’s magic. So who are the real stupid people??
Hmm . . . I have no interest in Twilight, nor did I see either of the “Sex and the City” films, or Avatar. I just had not interest in them. Does that make me somewhat superior to all those who have seen these films? No, of course not. I can’t understand the appeal of “Twilight” — my 13 year old niece, who is a sweet, smart kid, just loves it — but to each her own!
took my daughter last night to the movie. all i can say is it was alot better than the second movie. ill tell you one thing and i know my daughter will get mad. does anyone think this lautber has too be the worst actor. he should have been replaced in the second movie. in no way does he even resemble the jacob in the book. my advice. once the series is over go to acting school and learn how to kiss a girl. you look like a 2 yr old kissing your aunt and when you speak you sound like a little mouse. though the movie was adapted from the book the acting was better and endurable. as a father its my duty too endure these type of movies. only 2 more to go thru!
This illustrates how mentally sick young people are today. Why don’t they get a “real life” and quit fantasizing about love in this sick context. There is no substance to the stories and the characters are about as shallow as a mud puddle. They would do better to read or see something to improve their minds rather than wasting time on this drivel. It does make money…so does porno.
You are talking a big pile of nonsense. Learn the facts… a majority of the people who are fans of this Saga have read the books, and that’s why they love the movies. It is a wonderfully written set of books and the movies are a way to see it in action. It’s beautiful and I think that you should waste your time bashing something else. Your opinions are dumb and not needed. WE DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK. Talk about get a life… HAHAHAHA.. moving on.
Probably most of these dullards who love drivel like this voted for Obama, and believe there’s not enough socialism in the U.S. today. Of course, this group includes guys with NO backbone and some folks who are really waaaaaaay out there.
Pathetic what counts for talent on the so-called big screen these days…
What? These movies are pretty much entirely apolitical as far as I can see. Of course, any fool who thinks Obama is a socialist is already pretty dull-witted, so there’s probably no point in trying to talk you out of your opinions.
These movies suck for their own reasons, no need to attribute phony reasons to them.
Amanda says, “But there are guys that likes twilight.”
Right – Guys who like this movie cry at weddings, wear leotards and slips, and they probably prefer the guys in this drivel to women.
YES, these guys should turn in their man tags and move to S.F.!
Sensitivity is for women only?
The first one was enough for me. My girls keep telling me Bella is suppose to appear glum and lacking in charisma and has nothing to do with Kristin Stewart’s terrible acting. My 2 daughters went with 9 people, including several guys, to the midnight showing.
She’s playing a disaffected teen girl from a broken home, who is sent to live in Forks, Washington at the end of her highschool career. She has no friends, and there’s a guy who she thinks is cute, but he acts like she’s diseased on good days, and like he wants to kill her on bad days. How excatly should this teenage girl be played again, Mr. Strasberg??
It’s true, if you read the books, Kristen Stewart is playing the character. It isn’t her “terrible acting”, it’s how Bella is meant to be portrayed.
Bella is not a character. She’s a formless, faceless placeholder that allows every girl reading the book to edit her out and photoshop herself in. Stewart can’t really be blamed that much for being a non-presence when her role is defined as someone who does nothing and never acts on her own behalf, whose only purpose and reason for being is to decide which boy gets to take her virginity.
Man, this story is creepy.
Okay, so my nieces were in town and I was forced to watch the first movie on VOD…. WTF? Really? I don’t see it. Why would you waste time watching the second one much less the third?
I just saw Eclipse last night and I must say that is was incredible. Very good movie, the character chemistry reminded me of the original Star Wars film. Perfectly paced action and drama. I never thought I would be saying this, but I liked this film a lot!
And the trailer trash get to worship their screen gods, get a life!
Wow.. you’re a douche bag living under a rock.. you obviously don’t know shit about Twilight fans.. they come from all different ages, backgrounds, neighborhoods, and lifestyles. Grow up and learn some maturity you ignorant fool.
Real men don’t like Twilight. They like Vampire Diaries.
Real men like neither. Real men watch True Blood!
Hey maybe some of you guys could watch these movies and learn a thing or two about how a girl wants to be treated. She just wants a guy to be truly into her and not so much into himself.
No guy in their right mind would want a girl as pathetic as Bella. So I don’t get this whole “you’re my life” crap between the two of them. First off the chemistry with the leads is bad, the acting is bad, the plot is bad. It’s not just that the message of some pathetic girl who needs a man to feel good about herself is being preached to millions of idiotic tweens and teen fan girls it’s that this movie is just overall awful. Secondly, I watched the first and second movies..the only likeable parts in the second were when the Volturi were on screen. Thirdly, sure there’s some selfish guys out there but having a guy being this completely devoted to you where you are his only focus in the entire world and there’s nothing else that matters…i dunno I want to be important to someone…but that kind of obsession is pathetic and sad. If women want guys that brainless, thank God I’m gay.
Went to the midnight show last night. 8 auditoriums of their 16 sold out (Dark Knight had 3). With what they had to work with, it wasn’t bad. Opting for a showing of Twilight/New Moon before Eclipse I offer the following critique: photography scenic & beautiful, good soundtrack – especially Howard Shore’s score which tied it together. Lautner definitely ramped up his thespian ability (he’s a work in progress)—exhibiting a multiple personality which threw you a bit (snotty Jake to smart-ass Jake to little boy Jake to broken hearted Jake in the blink of an eye) —that has more to do with the story/script/directing. The kid can smooch and look good at the same time. The scene that stood out (not being a Twi book or movie addict) for me: Jake all battered & sweaty & all morphined up after being squished by a newborn still trying to sway Bella his way ( all the while she’s eyeing him like he’s road kill). She should at least have patted his head (someone who swears your their BFF and you love them at least a little bit would have done that). The kid dodged a bullet…I hear in the next one he goes from the frying pan into the fire… All the book lovers & Team Ed & Jake seemed happy and I didn’t go deaf because there were no deafening car crashes, bomb blasts, earthquakes, volcanoes. If you like this stuff have at it, if you don’t stop griping & stay home or go see Transformers 42 or the remake of Gone with the Wind or better yet read a book. Then everybody’ll be happy.
If you actually saw the movie you should know his name is Jacob, not Jake.
Like, OMG! I’m like watching the first one, and I’m like, OMG! What are vampires doing in high school?
(I’m a middle aged guy wondering what the fuss is about. I’ve reached my bore-point watching the first movie and then realized, oh hell, I’m only half-way through)
Seriously: what ARE vampires doing in high school?
Good question – maybe they should get a GED.
…or an STD? ;O