Four years after starting a cultural phenomenon and box office bonanza, The Twilight Saga comes to an end with the release of the fifth and final film Breaking Dawn Part 2 [TWLI5]. The Twihards has been one of the most fervent fanbase ever. Not even the real-life drama between Kristen Stewart [KTEW] and Robert Pattinson [TPATT] will keep them away from the on-screen drama between Bella, Edward and Jacob for the very last time. Lionsgate/Summit didn’t have to alter their campaign, but just market to the already converted. Advance ticket sales are already ahead of Breaking Dawn Part 1, which debuted to $138.1 million last year. The series record belongs to the second film New Moon with $142.8 million in 2009. Breaking Dawn Part 2 should be able to surpass that mark just as the final Harry Potter film set a new high for its series. The PG-13 rated film opens slightly earlier on Thursday evening at 10 pm rather than the usual midnight. Playing in 4070 theaters, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 may bite into $151 million.
Skyfall [JB23] is enjoying great word of mouth after securing the biggest opening weekend in franchise history. The previous installment Quantum of Solace was poorly-received and suffered a 60% drop-off. Skyfall should hold better at around 50% for a $45 million second weekend.
The Disney animated Wreck-It Ralph [RALPH] will continue to attract the family audience. A similar hold as the weekend before would net another $21 million.
Lincoln [ABE] expands wide into 1775 theaters after tallying $0.94 million in 11 locations last week. Directed by Steven Spielberg [SSPIE], the historical drama focused on the final days of the Civil War. Daniel Day-Lewis [DDAYL] stars as the 16th President and is a lock to land another Oscar nomination for his performance. Disney has marketed Lincoln heavily through election season and the PG-13 rated film has earned excellent reviews. The positive buzz will bring out the older target audience and score Lincoln with around $16 million.
That’s the whisper from the virtual trading floor.
Tag(s): TWLI5, JB23, RALPH, ABE, SSPIE, DDAYL