Vampire film takes big bite of box office records

Teen vampire movie New Moon, the second in the Twilight series, is setting box office records around the world.

Already destined to be the top grossing film in New Zealand this year, according to projections by Sky City Cinemas, the country’s largest exhibition chain, it has broken two box-office records in one day in the US, where it opened at midnight on Thursday.

It set a record for midnight ticket sales and the biggest single-day sales ever at the box office in North America. But with weekend sales of $US140 million, it fell short of The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 3, which both took more than $US150 million.

Distributor Summit Entertainment said gross receipts from midnight shows totalled $US26.3 million and the first-day take was $US72.7 million. The previous record was $US67.2 million, set by The Dark Knight in 2008.

Midnight screenings in New Zealand since Thursday are also attracting big audiences and Sky City is predicting New Moon will eventually surpass Transformers 2, which took $7.6 million, according to Motion Picture Distributors Association figures. The first Twilight film grossed a more modest $3.7 million.

In the US, the weekend tally for New Moon makes it the biggest for any film this year, the biggest for an opening outside the summer movie season, and one of the top five of all time, not accounting for inflation.

Worldwide, ticket sales from the 25 other countries where New Moon is already screening will almost certainly push into instant blockbuster status.

Summit spent $US50 million to make New Moon, including tax incentives from Canada, where it was produced. The picture is certain to be highly profitable based on ticket sales alone, even before money is made from DVD and other post-theatrical markets.

2009 NEW ZEALAND BOX OFFICE*

1. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen $7.6m

2. Slumdog Millionaire $5.1m

3. Quantum of Solace $5.0 (includes 2008)

4. Ice Age 3 $4.8m

5. Up $4.1m

6. Twilight $3.7m

7. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince $3.6m

8. Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa $3.4m

9. This Is It $3.3*

10. Angels & Demons $3.0m

* As at Nov 18. Source: NZMPDA