While it did break midnight and opening day records, The Twilight Saga: New Moon was unable to beat The Dark Knight’s huge opening weekend record, despite being the highest opening weekend of 2009.
The Summit Entertainment sequel took in an estimated $140.7 million domestically over the three day weekend, about $18 million shy of Batman’s record $158 million, and even shy of Spider-Man 3’s $151.1 million. New Moon will probably beat the life-time domestic theatrical gross of Twilight by the end of the week.
New Moon’s worldwide total is $258.8 million, the seventh highest worldwide opening of all time, behind Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
