The sequel to 2008′s Twilight proves that there’s something to be said for having a strong fan base.
Despite receiving reviews that range from lukewarm to downright cold, New Moon‘s midnight release showed that a solid — and large — fan following can trump quality of movie as being the main factor in earning box office success.
New Moon‘s first midnight showing earned the film the distinction of being the highest grossing midnight run in box office history. The film was shown at 3,514 theaters, and brought in $26.3 million.
This amount surpassed previous recordholder Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince‘s midnight earnings by more than $4 million.
Last year’s release of Twilight saw $36 million in its first day, and if the midnight turnout for New Moon is any indicator, the follow up is already well on its way to trouncing the number.
According to box office observers, the biggest obstacle New Moon may face in achieving its anticipated success will be the film’s ability to appeal to audiences beyond the die-hard fans — or how successful those fans are at dragging their friends and boyfriends to the theater with them.
Looking for a wider scope than its own franchise, the next box office goal for New Moon is to break the record for best opening day. Currently, 2008′s The Dark Knight holds the record, having brought in $67.2 million in its first day.
We’ll see if vampires can beat out superheroes for first-day draw.
