In Lionsgate’s first press release about a movie of just acquired Summit Entertainment, the company announced this morning that the the Twilight franchise’s penultimate installment, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, is on track to become the highest grossing film in the series having just surpassed $700 million in worldwide box-office receipts.

Santa Monica, CA  January 22, 2012 – Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE company, announced today that the fourth installment in the blockbuster TWILIGHT SAGA franchise – THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 has grossed an estimated $701.3 million in global box office receipts since the film’s release on November 18, 2011.  THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 is on its way to becoming the highest grossing film in the series to date looking to surpass the worldwide box office gross of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON which tallied $709.8 million.  The two other two films in the franchise THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE and TWILIGHT have each grossed $698.5 million and $390.4 respectively and the franchise continues to break records.  Upcoming releases of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 internationally include Japan and China.

Not only has the TWILIGHT SAGA’s global fan base supported the films during their theatrical release, but audiences worldwide have continued to support this cultural phenomenon both on and off the screen.  THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 will be available on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD on February 11, 2012.

Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group Co-Chairmen Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger stated: “The milestone is important on several fronts and illustrates the vitality of the franchise on a global scale even after four films.  Stephenie Meyer’s story and characters were brought to the screen this time via the talented hands of Bill Condon along with the cast and crew that has been with the film franchise since its inception.  We are very proud of the success the franchise has experienced and anticipate the saga’s conclusion this November.”

The next chapter in THE TWILIGHT SAGA, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 will arrive in theatres on November 16, 2012. Academy Award winner Bill Condon directed both the first and second part of the two-part finale starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. The project, based on the fourth novel in author Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, was written by Melissa Rosenberg with Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt and Stephenie Meyer producing.