"Twilight" Midnight Screening Eclipses Record

"The Twilight Saga" has rung up another record midnight hour.

"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" took in more than $30 million from midnight screenings Wednesday, according to distributor Summit Entertainment.

That surpassed the previous midnight record of $26.3 million set on opening day last November by its predecessor, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Summit was still counting the numbers and was not expected to have a final overnight number until Thursday. But Summit reported the figure was likely to come in significantly higher than $30 million.

The huge start for "Eclipse" puts the latest chapter in the vampire-romance series on track for one of the biggest opening days ever.

"New Moon" also holds that record, taking in $72.7 million in its first day.

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The new midnight record is even more impressive considering "Eclipse" managed it in the middle of the week. "New Moon" opened on Friday, typically a busier day at theaters.

Fans lined up Tuesday hours ahead of the first midnight show times for "Eclipse," which continues the story of brooding teen Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and her love triangle with vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner).

With the Fourth of July weekend ahead, "Eclipse" is positioned for a colossal first five days. The record five-day haul for a movie opening on Wednesday is $200 million for last year's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."