After grossing a record-setting $30 million from midnight screenings, you didn't need to be Nostradamus to realize that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse was going to smash some records over July 4th weekend. And so down goes the first one: Buoyed by those midnight showings, Eclipse banked $68.5 million on Wednesday, besting the gross of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen for biggest Wednesday in box office history. That wasn't enough to top the $72 million opening day record held by New Moon, but it doesn't sound like anyone is complaining. Except maybe Paramount and one Manoj Night Shyamalan.
Shyamalan's The Last Airbender -- an effort at "counterprogramming" to Eclipse -- was only able to gross $3 million from its midnight screenings and seems well on its way to becoming yet another box-office disappointment this summer. Paramount would like me to remind you that the $3 million represents "the highest midnight gross this summer for a non-sequel," but to do so I'd have to take dizziness pills for the spin. What's next? Praise for The Last Airbender being the highest-grossing film with Airbender in the title?
ยท 'ECLIPSE' KEEPS BREAKING RECORDS: Twilight Saga Threequel Sets Best Ever Wednesday Opening Of $68.5M; Twi-Hards Mob Theaters In U.S., Canada, Overseas [Deadline]
