Summit Entertainment has announced that The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 sold an estimated 3.85 million units in its debut weekend of home entertainment release and topped the opening weekend sales of “Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” Here’s the announcement:
Continuing Lionsgate’s home entertainment and box office leadership in young adult franchises, Summit Entertainment’s global blockbuster THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 sold an estimated 3.85 million combined DVD and Blu-ray units in its home entertainment launch over the weekend, an increase over the debut weekend of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 last year, the Company announced today. THE HUNGER GAMES and THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 ranked as two of the top four home entertainment releases of 2012. Lionsgate acquired Summit Entertainment in January 2012.
The Company noted that Blu-ray sales accounted for an estimated 27% of first weekend sales, up from 22% of the first weekend sales of BREAKING DAWN – PART 1, reflecting continued penetration of the Blu-ray format. Opening weekend estimates for BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 also underscored the franchise’s continued growth trajectory on digital and on demand platforms, with the film recording approximately 20% more electronic sell through transactions than BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 and showing early indications of a robust VOD performance as well.
“We’re particularly pleased that THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 opened even stronger than BREAKING DAWN – PART 1, which launched on Valentine’s Day weekend last year,” said Lionsgate Executive Vice President and General Manager of Home Entertainment Ron Schwartz. “Consumer demand for THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 reflects strength in all segments of the home entertainment marketplace – packaged media, digital and on demand. This is further proof that author Stephenie Meyer has created a timeless classic that moviegoers want to enjoy over and over in a wide variety of formats.”
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 launched at 12:01 A.M. on Saturday, March 2 with midnight retail events at more than 3,000 stores across the country.
THE film has grossed $829 million at the worldwide box office, a franchise best, bringing THE TWILIGHT SAGA’s overall worldwide box office to more than $3.3 billion. The astonishing fifth film in the franchise illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced tens of millions. Academy Award® winner Bill Condon directed both the first and second parts of the two-part finale starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. The film, based on the fourth novel in author Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series, was written by Melissa Rosenberg and produced by Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt and Stephenie Meyer.
