Saturday, November 21, 2009

New Moon Eclipses Dark Knight!


As a PG-rated Robin might cry, "Holy crap, Batman!"

New Moon smashed The Dark Knight's single-day and opening-day box-office records with an estimated $72.7 million Friday, its studio reported today.

If the movie's unprecedented midnight business was "absolutely freakish," then its unprecedented full-day take was simply phenomenal.

"It doubled the opening day of the first movie—and Twilight was no slouch itself," Box Office Mojo's Brandon Gray said. "It's just sensational."

With New Moon having already eclipsed its $50 million budget, two of Dark Knight's showiest records, and Twilight's entire opening-weekend gross, about the only question left is: How big can this thing get?

In two words, really big. Although maybe not record big.

Gray guessed New Moon will end up with a $140 million Friday-Sunday, which would leave it shy of Dark Knight's ultimate speed record: the 2008 film's $158.4 million opening weekend. (It would also leave it shy of the No. 2 film, Spider-Man 3, which debuted with $151.1 million in 2007.)

At this point, though, it's dangerous to guess what New Moon might, or might not, do next.

Earlier in the week, the wolf-enhanced vampire sequel was expected to score a big $80 million opening weekend. Then a bigger $100 million looked more like it. By yesterday, after setting its $26.3 million midnight mark, Exhibitor Relations was calling for a gigantic $125 million-$130 million.

Until further notice, Twi-hards—and the cinematic object of their desire—will not be underestimated.

Here's a by-the-numbers look at what New Moon has done so far:

• $36 million: The Twilight opening-day figure it blew past.

• $62.2 million: The single- and opening-day Dark Knight grosses it eclipsed.

• $69.6 million: The Twilight opening weekend it's already exceeded.

• $104 million: What Friday's Top 10 films, led by you-know-what, grossed in a single day—yet another record, per Box Office Mojo.