Box Office Breakdown: A Bloody Good Weekend for Twilight

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Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, MGM, Miramax, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Independent, Musicals, Period, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

Although Disney features typically find a place at the top of the pack, the studio’s cute puppy was outmatched by a hot vampire this weekend. After pulling in $35.9 million on Friday ($7 million of which was earned at midnight), Twilight went on to suck up nearly $70 million in total. The film’s first day take alone was enough for Summit Entertainment to immediately greenlight a sequel. (A script for New Moon had already been in the works.)

The Stephenie Meyers adaptation - which was originally slated to premiere on December 12 - undoubtedly owes Warner Bros. partial credit for its success. Had the studio not chosen to move Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until next year, Twilight would most likely have debuted in fewer theaters. The Catherine Hardwicke film also wouldn’t have become the highest opener ever for a female director. (Deep Impact, helmed by Mimi Leder, took home $41.2 million in 1998.)

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Meanwhile, Bolt - another film aimed at a younger audience - pulled in a surprising $26.2 million this weekend. That was only enough for a third place finish. Despite great reviews (and Miley Cyrus’ name in the billing), the animated comedy came nowhere near Madagascar 2‘s recent $63.1 million debut.

1. Twilight, Summit Entertainment, $69,637,740 (avg. $20,368)
2. Quantum of Solace, Sony/MGM, $26,707,945 (avg. $7723)
3. Bolt, Disney, $26,223,128 (avg. $7182)
4. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Dreamworks/Paramount, $15,661,936 (avg. $3909)
5. Role Models, Universal, $7,324,445 (avg. $2680)
6. Changeling, Universal, $2,695,450 (avg. $1550)
7. High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Disney, $2,049,144 (avg. $868)
8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Miramax, $1,647,514 (avg. $4058)
9. Zack and Miri Make a Porno, The Weinstein Company, $1,605,579 (avg. $1316)
10. The Secret Life of Bees, Fox Searchlight, $1,264,991 (avg. $1155)

(You can review last week’s numbers here.)