Box Office, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn | featured news

Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 1 had no trouble retaining the No. 1 crown, grossing $16.9 million for a domestic cume of $247.3 million. The fourth installment is still pacing slightly behind The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which opened over Thanksgiving in 2009. At the same point in its run New Moon had earned $255.4 million domestically.

The weekend after Thanksgiving is one of the slowest of the year, and 2011 is no different. With no new wide releases, Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 continued to top the domestic box office, grossing $5.5 million on Friday for a cume of $235.9 million. The pic is on track for a $16.8 million weekend.

The latest “Twilight” movie has plenty of daylight left with a second-straight win at the weekend box office. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1” took in $42 million domestically over the three-day weekend and $62.3 million in the five-day Thanksgiving boom time from Wednesday to Sunday. That raised its domestic total to $221.3 million, while the Summit Entertainment release added $71.5 million overseas to lift the international total to $268 million and the worldwide take to $489.3 million.

In a notable victory for Disney, The Muppets continues to rule over other family films at the Thanksgiving box office, grossing $12.3 million on Friday for a three-day cume of $24.8 million. The pic, which cost a modest $45 million to produce, is now projected to post a Wednesday-Sunday debut of at least $40 million, putting it behind only The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 1, which grossed $16.9 million on Friday for a cume of roughly $195 million (the pic will jump the $200 million mark sometime on Saturday).

WEDNESDAY 4 PM: My sources are giving me these early estimates for today’s movie openings and for the 5-day Thanksgiving holiday. Already it’s looking like some of the new family fare won’t speed out of the theatrical gate, leaving a clear path for Summit Entertainment’s holdover Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1 to win the weekend derby.

Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 1 opened with a sharp bite around the globe, grossing $139.5 million domestically and $144 million overseas for a franchise best $283.5 million.

Bringing the domestic box office to life, Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 grossed $72 million on Friday for a projected weekend opening in the $140 million range. Bowing day and date in 54 territories, the film has grossed another $66 million internationally.

The Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner starrer rolled out in thousands of theaters at 12:01 a.m. Friday. Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 1 grossed $30.3 million in midnight runs as fans rushed to see the second-to-last installment in the blockbuster franchise.