Summit EntertainmentEclipse wolfed down an estimated $28.6 million Friday, bringing its three-day take to a fat and fast $121.3 million.
And the holiday weekend—if not the movie—is not near done yet.
As it's turning out, though, Eclipse may need every bit of fandom fervor to keep it ahead of a certain much-maligned challenger.
The anime-spawned The Last Airbender followed up its solid $16.4 million Thursday debut with a just-as-solid $16.6 million Friday—all this despite a casting controversy, and the worst reviews in recent memory for a would-be summer blockbuster.
With a reputed price tag of $150 million, Last Airbender still has a way to go. Eclipse, meanwhile, cleared its Hollywood-cheap $68 million budget a couple of days ago.
Given yesterday's haul, Eclipse is now believed to be on track for a $106 million-plus four-day, Friday-Monday, Fourth of July weekend gross.
About the only thing Eclipse hasn't managed is to keep up with its predecessor. But since New Moon opened on a Friday in the fall instead of a Wednesday in the summer, it may be more apt to compare Eclipse to the last Harry Potter movie.
Debuting on a Wednesday last July, Half-Blood Prince stood at $107 million after three days. At this point, Eclipse is actually closer to the even-bigger domestic hit that was Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which opened last June with a $127.9 million Wednesday-Friday.
Not bad company to keep. Or try to top.