While several articles I’ve read this week have tried to play down the importance of Twilight as a cultural phenomenon (largely because the films aren’t popular with many traditional films fans, who seem almost aggrieved that something has come along that’s popular but not made specifically with them in mind), New Moon seems keen to prove them wrong.
The film has already broken its first box office record, taking more at midnight screenings in the US than any other film in history. New Moon took $26.3 million in the early hours of Friday morning, eclipsing the previous record set earlier this year by Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
It’s a truly impressive amount, and completely unprecedented for a female-driven property. Industry watchers are now looking towards the film’s first day gross, with some even wondering whether it’ll have the biggest first day in history, taking more than the $67.2 million The Dark Knight made when it opened last year. However most expect that the final weekend gross will largely depend on how many people New Moon can appeal to beyond its core audience.