To say that 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' exceeded expectations at the box office this weekend is like saying Secretariat ran away from the field in the 1973 Belmont Stakes. Yeah, he ran away ... by 31 lengths! And that's about the distance between 'New Moon' and 'The Blind Side,' the weekend's surprising runner-up.
'New Moon' sold an estimated $140 million worth of tickets since its midnight showings Thursday and its last screenings Sunday night, making it the third-best opening for one movie, behind 'The Dark Knight' ($158.4 million) and 'Spider-Man 3' ($151.1 mil). The most optimistic forecasts had 'New Moon' grossing just north of $100 million. Instead, on Friday it broke the record for single-day box office take, with $72.7 mil, pushing previous single-day champ 'The Dark Knight' from its top spot.
'New Moon' sold an estimated $140 million worth of tickets since its midnight showings Thursday and its last screenings Sunday night, making it the third-best opening for one movie, behind 'The Dark Knight' ($158.4 million) and 'Spider-Man 3' ($151.1 mil). The most optimistic forecasts had 'New Moon' grossing just north of $100 million. Instead, on Friday it broke the record for single-day box office take, with $72.7 mil, pushing previous single-day champ 'The Dark Knight' from its top spot.
But 'New Moon' has shattered the record for a non-summer movie opening and, in doing so, led the film industry to its second busiest weekend ever. When all the grosses from all movies playing this weekend are tallied up Monday, cash registers will have run up nearly $250 million. 'Dark Knight' led its weekend field to the record of $260.8 million in mid-July last year. The third best single weekend gross was $205.6 million, set in July of '06 with 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' leading the pack.
Another record that no one keeps but which was surely broken is that between them, 'New Moon' and 'The Blind Side' were the two most review-proof movies opening on the same weekend. 'New Moon''s rating on Metacritic.com, which gathers and assesses reviews of leading critics around the country, was 46 on a scale of 100, and the rating for 'Blind Side,' which grossed an astounding $34.5 million, was just 52.
'Twilight's' fan base has grown overseas, as well, grossing nearly $120 million in 25 countries outside the U.S. and Canada. The movies are still chick flicks, but the chicks are getting older. Exit polls show that 'New Moon' is about as popular with women in their 20s and 30s as with teenage girls.
'The Blind Side' blind-sided box office analysts. I predicted a puny $12 million opening for the inspirational Sandra Bullock sports drama, about one-third of what it ended up doing. Clearly, a lot of people who went to theaters to see 'New Moon' couldn't get in right away and watched 'The Blind Side' while waiting. The good news for those still waiting is that most fans have already seen the vampire movie. Its business dropped 41% on Saturday.
'2012,' last weekend's blockbuster opener, saw its business drop nearly 60% from first to second weekend, but still took in a healthy $26.5 million, running its 10-day total to $102 million. 'Planet 51,' a Spanish-made animated movie about an American astronaut, was fourth with $12.6 million, while 'Disney's A Christmas Carol' fell more than expected with a third weekend gross of $12.2 million.
'Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire' finished sixth, after expanding to 629 theaters and taking in $11 million. The indie hit has now topped $21 million in total ticket sales.
The line-up of new movies opening over the long Thanksgiving weekend does not include any obvious blockbusters, so the top six films from this weekend should keep trucking right through the holiday. Here's the top 10 for the weekend:
1. 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon,' $140.7 million (4,024 theaters).
2. 'The Blind Side,' $34.5 million (3,110).
3. '2012,' $26.5 million (3,408).
4. 'Planet 51,' $12.6 million (3,035).
5. 'Disney's A Christmas Carol,' $12.2 million (3,578).
6. 'Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire," $11 million (629).
7. 'The Men Who Stare at Goats," $2.8 million (2,056).
8. 'Couples Retreat,' $2 million (1,712).
9. 'The Fourth Kind,' $1.7 (1,647).
10. 'Law Abiding Citizen,' $1.6 (1,327).
Reader Comments (28)
sherry at 9:49AM on Nov 23rd 2009
All I can say is New Moon was awesome. I was disappointed it had to end and the acting was great! Time flew by and I was enthralled from the first minute to the last. It is definitely one to see!
NotBlindSided at 10:56AM on Nov 23rd 2009
The Blind Side was an excellent movie. Mr. Mathews obviously doesn't know moviegoers as well as he thinks he does, if he was only estimating The Blind Side to do $12 million this weekend.
There may have been some people that went to the Blind Side because they couldn't get in to New Moon, but we, for one and I believe this is the case with most, went to see The Blind Side this weekend first by choice. We went Friday night and weren't even planning on seeing New Moon this weekend until the opportunity to go arose Saturday afternoon. We are planning on seeing The Blind Side again, this time with our children, but won't see New Moon again until it comes out on DVD.
I imagine The Blind Side will easily outgross The Proposal, Sandra Bullock's surprise hit earlier this year. Obviously, it was nowhere near the blockbuster movie that took first place, but it wasn't expected to be. As a whole, I'm not a fan of sports documentaries, but Mr. Oher's story was truly inspiring and I wish him the best of luck with his career in the NFL.
If you want to see a movie that is funny, sad, happy and inspirational all in one, go see The Blind Side. If you want to see blood sucking, howling, growling and drooling, (and that's just from the audience) then go see that other movie.
patty at 1:51PM on Nov 23rd 2009
I so agree with Notblindsided comments. I also saw both movies. I enjoyed both. Which I am not a big Twilight fan but I have two girls who are. We walked out of it with them saying we want to see it again. We walked out of Blindside with them saying we have to bring so and so and this person and that one to see this! It was a great movie and one that when it ended nobody was in a hurry to leave. It was the first time I have been in a theater where everyone stayed seated hoping to glipse more into the lives of these wonderful people. It was based on Michael Oher but you fell in love with every character from the children of the family up to Michael, and their parents. I think Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw rocked these parts! Movie of the year for us!
Jordyn at 10:52AM on Nov 23rd 2009
HAHA, suck on that Harry Potter, suck on that!
YoFrankeee at 11:11AM on Nov 23rd 2009
It's great that two movies that people from ALL age groups still hold the record for best opening weekend. This new fad for Soft core Porn Bloodsuckers is sick and twisted. If a parent wants to know why their kid is acting strange, just watch this trash, True Blood or Vampire Diaries. They're all missing one boob and crotch shot short of a Jenna Jamison movie. Yeah, real thought provoking ideas in these films. NOT
Wendy at 12:51PM on Nov 23rd 2009
I am a huge fan of the Vampire genre and when I first heard of the Twilight series and that my 15 year old wanted to read it, I insisted that I read it first as I know that this particular genre is usually overtly sexual in nature. However, I did learn that these books are geared toward pre-teens and teens and after reading them I had no problem allowing my daughter to read the entire series. The sexual situations were nothing overtly so and I thought the subtlety of waiting to marriage was introduced nicely.
As far as True Blood goes, I totally agree with you and I have not let my daughter read those books or see the show.
Don't put parents down, for there are those of us who really do moniter what our childen watch and read. And the Twilight Series is wonderfully written and brilliantly captured on film
Ashleigh at 11:02AM on Nov 23rd 2009
New Moon was awesome! It was so much better than Twilight, and I know that Eclipse will be even better!
Kim at 11:05AM on Nov 23rd 2009
I like New Moon's Fashions. I'm looking to get into designing for the movies. I'm using Digital Fashion Pro software to create my designs. Google it.
redconvoy at 12:05PM on Nov 23rd 2009
That movie was worse than the first one! I felt like I was at a Twilight convention because no one seemed to care about the story. All they cared about was seeing Jake's chest and Edward! Ugh. I can't believe I wasted two hours that I can't get back. I could write better than that! Geeze.
HEATHER at 9:01PM on Nov 23rd 2009
I AGREE I DID LOVE TWILIGHT BUT I DID NOT LIKE NEW MOON AT ALL. THE WHOLE TIME THAT I WAS IN THE THEATRE I WAS SAYING IS THIS OVER YET. THE STORY LINE DID NOT SICK TO THE BOOK AT ALL, IT WAS OVER THE TOP MUSHY AND WAS THE SOUND TRACK WAS THE WORST. I FELT LIKE I JUST WASTED MY MONEY AND TIME, MY CHILDREN DID NOT EVEN LIKE THE MOVIE. I THINK I WILL WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE TO COME ON DVD BEFORE I SEE IT.
Jazz71781 at 12:21PM on Nov 23rd 2009
I saw New Moon and I loved it! I think they did a good job staying true to the book. There were a few things I wished they put in but overall I thought it was great and I'm really looking forward to seeing Eclipse!
blackbird at 12:38PM on Nov 23rd 2009
The Dark Knight is still the king.
Mike-Buddy at 2:36PM on Nov 23rd 2009
Yes long live TDK!!!
outlawsgun at 1:12PM on Nov 23rd 2009
I AM SO SICK OF THESE MOVIES AND BOOKS ABOUT "GLAM-PIRES." GIVE ME A BREAK. THEY CAN'T GO OUT IN THE SUN BECAUSE THEY SPARKLE, THAT IS SO GAY. I CURSE THE DAY ANNE RICE'S FIRST BOOK WAS PUBLISHED. GIVE ME A BLOOD SUCKING HELL-SPAWN ANYDAY, NOT SOME POOR LITTLE ROMANTIC MONSTER. WANNA SEE WHAT VIMPIRES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCH JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES. EVEN THE ORIGINAL BUFFY MOVIE WAS BETTER THAN TWILIGHT
Ash at 1:53PM on Nov 23rd 2009
First of all, Curse Bram Stoker he wrote the first vampire novel. It was called Dracula. you just don't like good writing that's all. yo are just jealous you don't have the prestige to write a novel at all. Legends of vampires have been around since day one and human have been trying to make sense of it SO WHAT the Stephanie Myer had made a joke of it and said they sparkle that's why its generated towards teens and pre-teens or to those who like a nice, calm paranormal romance. Get over it she's rich you're not and thatss the end. Given I love a horror move best as the next person but I have my "gay" side too as you put it, but what the hell I'm a girl.
Mike-Buddy at 2:35PM on Nov 23rd 2009
I completely agree!
cessnatx at 1:28PM on Nov 23rd 2009
Not quite the same comparing this one to Spiderman and The Dark Knight....the latter two started Friday night not late Thursday night..
acajou at 2:09PM on Nov 23rd 2009
Not true. Both had midnight showings (technically considered "extremely early Friday morning").
"Twilight" and its sequels have a huge fan base, which is obviously why "New Moon" did so well. I personally am not interested in the series, but I don't want to display any negative comments to those that are fans. I understand their enthusiasm, because I was equally excited about "The Lord of the Rings" when they came out, and those movies also did extremely well. To each his/her own, I say. :)
lisavalvo at 1:52PM on Nov 23rd 2009
See new Movies
go to MoviesWatch dot info
- Planet 51
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon Saga
- 2012
- A Christmas Carol
- This Is It(Michael Jackson Movie)
- The Box
- The Fourth kind
- A Christmas Carol
- The Men Who Stare At Goats
- Saw VI
- Paranormal Activity
- Where The Wild Things Are
- Couples Retreat
- Law Abiding Citizen
- Couples Retreat
- Zombieland way more!
go to MoviesWatch dot info
lisavalvo at 1:53PM on Nov 23rd 2009
go to MoviesWatch dot info
- Planet 51
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon Saga
- 2012
- A Christmas Carol
- This Is It(Michael Jackson Movie)
- The Box
- The Fourth kind
- A Christmas Carol
- The Men Who Stare At Goats
- Saw VI
- Paranormal Activity
- Where The Wild Things Are
- Couples Retreat
- Law Abiding Citizen
- Couples Retreat
- Zombieland way more!
go to MoviesWatch dot info