According to Larry Richman of PROnetworks, Summit Entertainment officially announced estimates that New Moon took  in $140.7 million this weekend.  Larry also explains the ‘estimates’ are for Sunday and the official numbers are reported on Monday, but aren’t too different from the estimates.

Summit Entertainment now officially estimates that The Twilight Saga: New Moon took in $140.7M from 4024 theaters this weekend. This puts the film in third place for all-time opening weekends, behind The Dark Knight ($158.4M) and Spider-Man 3 ($151.1M) and ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ($135.6M). The film also hauled in $118.1M from 25 foreign countries for a worldwide total $258.8M.

In addition to becoming the new champ in midnight box office and single-day totals on Friday, New Moon has now shattered several other records as well. It was the #1 biggest non-summer opening weekend of all time and the biggest ever box office opening for an independent film (and widest indie release in history). New Moon also broke the record for fastest to reach $100M, beating The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 3. Of the top 34 films with numbers released today, New Moon took in more than all the 33 others combined.

After its record-shattering $72.7M first day Friday, there was a 41% drop from Friday to Saturday when it took in $43.2M. This was about the exact same percentage decrease Twilight had one year ago (down 40.8% Saturday, down 41.9% Sunday). Another 40% drop going into Sunday, based on advance sales, tracking polls, and other industry formulas, brings the weekend total to $140.7M with a per theater average of $34,965. Many international regions have yet to release the film. Sources expect New Moon to eventually pass $500M worldwide. Twilight ended its run with $385M.

For those who are new to the box office numbers game, it may seem odd to have these figures when Sunday isn’t even over yet. But it is standard procedure to have weekend totals announced at this time. After the Saturday box office totals come in on Sunday morning, studios always estimate Sunday and come up with a weekend projection. Of course, Sunday and weekend figures can only be estimates at this point. The actual Sunday numbers aren’t known until Monday. But many years and literally thousands of projections have yielded formulas that allow the industry to predict fairly closely what Sunday will be based on Friday and Saturday’s numbers and, therefore, what the weekend will look like. The actual numbers that come in on Monday are usually not too far off from the estimates made on Sunday. They usually adjust slightly up or down but are rarely far off.

Great news!  $258.8 million worldwide!  New Moon hasn’t opened in Germany, Japan or Russia yet!  

So the ‘estimates’ are close to the official numbers that come out on Monday.  I was thinking we were getting closer to the #2 spot for all time opening weekend.  #3 is still amazing.

Are you going to see New Moon on Sunday?

[Source: PROnetworks.  Photo: BreakingDawn-fr. Thanks RPCrackward, Emma, Anna and Only4TeamWolves!]

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Robert Pattinson spoke with TIME on landing the role as Edward Cullen, being a generational crush and why he wears the hoodie.

You took on an edgy vampire movie and it’s become this. Did you know what you were signing up for?
I had no idea it was going to be like this. I really had no idea until … I guess I still don’t. The time that it hit me really was when we were shooting in Italy and the emotional reaction — it wasn’t just screaming. It was like people were so intently listening and watching. After every take there was polite applause. And it wasn’t hysteria. It was literally devotion to the characters. It was amazing. I haven’t felt that in any other situation.

Casting Edward was crucial to the franchise. What did Catherine Hardwicke see in you?
I don’t know. I was a little intimidated by Kristen [Stewart] in my audition. So I played it like a guy who is beating himself up a lot about everything. I don’t think anyone else did it like that. I think they concentrated on the confidence aspect. If you read the book, you know he’s the perfect man, ideal man. If you’re a guy, you have certain ideals about what you think is attractive. And that’s why I didn’t go into it for ages, because I thought I’d end up being silly in the audition. I’d be posing. I guess I tried to ignore every aspect of the confident hero of the story. And I played the extreme opposite. It didn’t end up being that in the film.

If they had cast anyone else as Edward, would the franchise have been as successful as it is today?
I honestly don’t know. No matter how famous I get as an individual, it’s always evened — or even surpassed — by the fame of Edward Cullen. That’s got to mean something. I don’t mind that. That’s just the way it is

A whole generation will remember you as Edward. You’re a generational crush. Is that hard to live up to or difficult to accept?
There’s no living up to it. I think the major fear is just fighting too hard against it. Most people who have a downfall from a like situation is when they do try to fight, and fight and fight: I’m not this teenybopper person, blah, blah, blah. Even if a lot of people see me and the franchise as like that, I never have, at any point. But I don’t feel the need to fight against it. I’ve never tried to pander to any kind of audience. I’ve tried to make the films as intelligent and uncheesy as you could. And I’ve tried to make them the best they can be. I’ve never thought about it any other way. So I hope that pays off.

A lot of celebs use disguises to escape their bubble. What’s been your worst?
In Vancouver, shooting New Moon, I tried something. They have this thought that no one there wears hoods except for problem people. It’s the only city in the world where hoods are not fashionable. It’s like if you’re wearing a hood, you’re going to mug people. So it’s a boring disguise, but it worked when I wore a hood. And then I’d sort of spit on the ground a little bit and do a little bit of shaking around as you’re walking. Everyone moved around to the other side of the street.

Can you go out of the bubble?
You can go out. The only difficulty is when there are people waiting outside the exits where you are going. You will get followed. It’s the following that’s the worst part. If it’s just getting a photo taken outside the exit, that would be O.K. But it’s the following that takes away your freedom.

Read the entire interview at TIME.com.

Great interview with Rob.   I think the cast is what made Twilight so successful, especially Robert Pattinson as Edward.   They were the perfect cast.   

Now, we know why he wears the hoodie!  Love him!

[Source: TIME. Thanks Nicnixs!]

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SPIN magazine has a great Q & A with Nikki Reed (Rosalie Cullen) about her musical favorites and t-shirts collection.

Name a song that you’ve listened to in the past 24 hours.
“She’s Only Happy in the Sun.” It’s nonstop Ben Harper in my apartment. My first boyfriend played me this song when I was 14 because my life back then was all about going to Venice Beach. Luckily, we didn’t have a bad breakup, so I don’t have any painful memories attached to the music.

On that note, what song do you associate with your first kiss?
D’Angelo‘s “How Does It Feel” was playing at the time — in my head. Honestly, the most memorable make-out sessions I ever had were in [the 2003 movie] Thirteen. Those were hardcore.

Who would you like to portray in a rock biopic?
Rickie Lee Jones. Last year I went to see her at the Largo [in L.A.] on Valentine’s Day by myself. She seems eccentric. She started telling stories about her childhood, and I was thinking, “Oh, maybe this is the night when she wants to make this a personal experience.” But it turns out she does that all the time.

What’s the first album you bought with your own money?
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I liked her in Sister Act 2. Also, I grew up in an area where I was a minority, so it was culturally diverse.

Do you have a go-to karaoke song?
I don’t drink, and karaoke is something you should only do drunk. But I’m obsessed with Adele. I put on “Chasing Pavements” and sing it in my apartment. The great thing about Adele is if you put her on top volume, you actually sound like her while you’re singing. I’ve gotten a few complaints from the neighbors.

What’s the most prized T-shirt in your collection?
[Friend and New Moon star] Kristen [Stewart] and I share a lot of clothes, so I wear a lot of Joan Jett shirts.

Kristen is playing her in a movie.
Yeah, Joan made replicas of the ones she used to wear in the ’80s and gave them to us.

What’s the last concert you attended?
I saw the Dead Weather in Vancouver, where we’re shooting [the third Twilight film] Eclipse. I got really into Jack White two years ago because of my friend Sage. She quizzes me on rock music, asking me things like “Who’s your favorite Beatle?”

So who is your favorite Beatle?
I guess Paul McCartney. This is going to be a controversial thing to say, but I don’t really understand the Beatles. If Kristen were here right now, she would slap me across the face. Then again, if I ask her, “What’s the first line of Biggie’s ‘Juicy’?” she wouldn’t know. Why don’t people sit around and talk about Ol’ Dirty Bastard the way they do the Beatles?

I loved this Q & A with Nikki Reed!   Nikki had me at Ben Harper, but then lost me when she doesn’t understand the Beatles.  Kristen get her!  LOL!   I would love to see her and Kristen’s t-shirt collection from Joan Jett though. 

[Source: SPIN.com. Thanks Julie @ SPIN!!]

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Taylor Lautner appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly Friday morning promoting New Moon.  Taylor chats with Regis and Kelly about becoming an actor and explains New Moon to Regis.

Love Taylor! 

[Source:  Regis&Kelly. YouTube. Thanks MCNutters!]

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He may bore you, and possibly make you yawn, or perhaps make you feel as if  you are in a zombie like state.  Call it what you will, but Christopher Heyerdahl aka Marcus of the Volturi is the real deal, and he’s paid the cost to be the boss.  Even though Aro seems to be large and in charge, it’s really Marcus who calls the shots.  Underneath the somber and half dead exterior, lies a magnificent leader of the Volturi coven. 

I am more than intrigued and fascinated with Marcus.  I really don’t know why, but something about this character draws me in.  From his storyline, to his creepy voice, to his blatant uninterest in anything Aro or anyone else has to say, Marcus and his saddened state makes you see him more as a human being, rather than a blood lusting vampire.  There’s somthing about the vacancy in his eyes that makes you want to find out more.  For those who haven’t seen New Moon yet, take a special notice of Marcus during the Volturi scene, he doesn’t even face Edward & Bella, he simply stares off to the side into outer space the entire time.  The man has some serious issues!  Besides Edward’s character, Marcus is by far my absolute favorite in the entire series.  I came across this article from last week, and figured I would share it with you all, hey any New Moon news is good news!

What are some of the more memorable fan encounters you’ve seen working on New Moon?

 

(Laugh) There was a girl in Chicago. I did an appearance in Chicago and there was a young girl there, it was very sweet. Literally every time she saw one of us she couldn’t speak. She’d sit there with this smile on her face and you’d see slowly she’d start to tremble, and then she would start to giggle, and then she would start to jump up and down, and she just giggled and jumped. That’s all she did.

 

She was about 15. She was a very, very sweet young girl. It was very funny. She could not speak. Cameron Bright [who plays Alec, another member of the Volturi] was there, and she’d just go ‘He’s s-o-o-o c-u-u-ute.’

 

So she wasn’t totally mute, then.

 

Well, she could only say something about someone who wasn’t there. If she was in their presence, I’d be like, ‘He’s right there, go talk to him, he’s a nice guy.’ ‘Oh no, he’s so c-u-u-ute.’ So it’s very sweet, very sweet.

 

I read you took the part because you know someone who’s a big fan, your niece. Is that true?

 

Yesss. She’s a big fan.

 

What was her reaction when she learned you’d be playing Marcus?

 

She was pretty excited, but she basically said, ‘Well, OK, but I don’t like Marcus.’

 

And I said, ‘Well, why don’t you like Marcus?’

 

‘He’s evil.’

 

I say, ‘What do you mean he’s evil? [*Total Twilightseries spoiler!*] He saves Bella, he saves Renesmee, what’s the deal? He comes in and he saves the day all the time.’

 

She pauses, then says, ‘Well, he eats people.’

 

(Laugh) So there you go, you have to be a vegetarian to get the thumbs up from my niece.

From different articles I’ve read, it seems Christopher is extremely close with his niece, and she was the first person he called when he was offered the role of “Marcus”…cute.  Check out the full interview at the Calgary Herald

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Part 2

Kellan Lutz (Emmett Cullen) appeared on the Jay Leno Show Friday night.  Kellan talks with Jay about the Twi-moms, taking two fans to the New Moon premiere and not getting into the after party premiere.   What rock was that security guard living under?   Kellan was also named “Best Lips” in People magazine.   

Kellan had to ‘earn his plug’ on the show by answering questions from fans and he shows a clip from New Moon.

Gotta love Kellan……especially in that suit.   Hot!    What?   LOL!   I love that clip. 

[Source:  JayLenoShow]

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