New Moon grosses $26 million in midnight screenings.

Wow. In just midnight (and slightly after midnight) screenings, Twilight Saga: New Moon grossed a whopping $26.27 million. That best the $22.2 million midnight record set by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince back in July. Heck, it's just $9 million less than Twilight took in over its first full day this weekend last year. Of course, after the obscene frontloading of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($58 million opening day, $157 five-day opening weekend), I'm reluctant to make any weekend predictions until we get a look at the Friday numbers. But a $55-$65 million opening day seems to be in order (The Dark Knight's $67 million single-day record may be in jeopardy). Of course, it has to gross at least $52 million today to make it to $100 million with the same 1.9 multiplier as Twilight. Even the 9pm Twilight screenings grossed $1.3 million for the night (it was number two for the whole day of Tuesday the 19th). We'll know more late tonight or early tomorrow, but this is going to be a big, big (and massively frontloaded weekend). The full weekend is going to be quite interesting to dissect when the time comes. Fun!

Scott Mendelson