When it comes to promoting teen-oriented film and television productions, Disney is unmatched in Hollywood. If Disney claimed second place, no one would dare say they were first. This is undoubtedly Disney's specialty. Miley Cyrus stepping up to promote *Twilight* was partly to cheer for the film and partly to draw attention to the upcoming *Hannah Montana* movie set to release next spring.
In other words, Disney and Miley Cyrus were also riding the wave of *Twilight*'s popularity.
Compared to those big commercial blockbusters, *Twilight*'s audience overlapped significantly with *Hannah Montana*'s, making it a perfect opportunity to capitalize on *Twilight*'s success.
Additionally, Disney invited Matthew to make a cameo in the upcoming *Hannah Montana* movie. The role wouldn't require much screen time, just a brief appearance.
Given the increasingly close relationship with Disney, Matthew didn't refuse. Plus, the movie was being shot at Disney's production studios, a typical quick production with a fast turnaround, meaning his cameo could be wrapped up in a morning or afternoon.
On Saturday, along with the box office data, Matthew received a detailed market segmentation report.
Of the $41.2 million that *Twilight* grossed on its opening day, nearly 80% came from female viewers, with those under 25 accounting for 65% of the audience.
This data confirmed that the strategy of targeting niche markets was highly effective. *Twilight* was like a Hollywood version of a Qiong Yao drama, capturing the hearts of countless young girls.
Even the snobbish critics had to admit that this was a film made for young girls.
Roger Ebert, writing in his column for the *Chicago Sun-Times*, remarked, "*Twilight* is utterly clichéd, with a lifeless love story—a tale of forbidden love wrapped in 'vampire + high school romance' packaging. The so-called 'romance' in this film is completely uninspired, filled with tedious long shots focusing on the pretty faces of handsome boys and girls, mediocre performances, and dragging plots with breathless, incoherent dialogue. Yet, it's probably the best film available for teenagers right now!"
Thus, when most adults hadn't even heard of *Twilight*, it suddenly became a sensation—the novel was a hit, and the movie was an even bigger hit...
"Ms. Meyer's meticulous descriptions and elegant, refined writing sparked readers' imaginations, and the fantastical story with its twists and turns made it impossible for them to put the book down."
In interviews, Matthew not only spoke highly of the film but also lavished praise on the novel. "Especially Ms. Meyer's vivid and delicate portrayal of the emotional confusion and complex entanglements of the protagonist during adolescence, which resonated deeply with readers and moved them."
This is a classic example of a fan-driven franchise—now, and in the future sequels as well. The novel provided a solid audience base for the film.
Speaking of the movie, Matthew pushed Lily Collins, who was accompanying him at the press event, in front of the reporters.
"In girls' daydreams, they either imagine a tall, strong, handsome, sunny prince charming or a brooding, lean, mysterious, and charming man."
Although she seemed a bit innocent, Lily Collins, being from a typical Hollywood family and having experience as a host on Nickelodeon, knew exactly what to say to the media. "And from the perspective of today's girls, prince charming is outdated. A tall, brooding, mysterious guy is more in line with their fantasies—just like a vampire!"
However, as they left the event, Lily Collins quietly said to Matthew, "I don't like vampires at all."
Matthew turned to her, curious. "Why not?"
Without hesitation, Lily Collins replied, "Vampires are all so delicate and effeminate, lacking any masculine traits. They don't seem like real men."
During the following press rounds, Matthew officially announced that Sofia Coppola and Stephenie Meyer had begun adapting *New Moon* and *Eclipse*. Thirteen Studios would continue collaborating with Skydance Media to bring the second and third installments of *Twilight* to the big screen.
And this wasn't the end; the two companies would follow the four-book structure of the original series and create a four-part film series.
This news excited the original fans immensely, prompting many of them to return to theaters for second and even third viewings.
However, as more people watched *Twilight*, the film's reputation quickly declined—not only in media and professional reviews but also among general audiences.
As everyone knows, a good reputation doesn't necessarily guarantee a high box office, and conversely, a high box office doesn't always mean a good reputation.
On IMDb, nearly 20,000 users gave the film an average rating of 5.4 out of 10. In Yahoo's survey, 13 media outlets gave it a composite grade of C, and the CinemaScore audience rating averaged only a B.
All signs seemed to suggest that *Twilight* was shaping up to be a box office disaster despite its poor reviews.
But numbers don't tell the whole story.
In fact, many viewers gave *Twilight* extremely high praise.
In CinemaScore's audience ratings, a clear trend of polarization emerged—37% of viewers gave the film an A, while over 40% rated it below a C. Male viewers averaged a D-, while female viewers averaged an A. Among viewers under 18, boys rated it a D, while girls gave it an A+...
All of this was exactly what Matthew had anticipated for *Twilight*—a high-grossing, poorly-reviewed, and widely panned film.
The most typical feature of such films is that they start strong but quickly fizzle out.
After consuming a large portion of the fanbase and young female viewers on Friday, *Twilight*'s momentum began to wane.
In general, Hollywood movies tend to see a higher box office on Saturday than on Friday. Even if there's a decline, it usually isn't significant. But *Twilight* was different—its Saturday box office plummeted by 41% compared to Friday, earning $24.3 million.
By Sunday, the film's box office continued to drop, with another 40% decline, bringing in $14.1 million.
This sharp decline, after a strong start, left David Ellison, who had hoped for *Twilight* to break $100 million on its opening weekend, dumbfounded.
"Matthew!"
In the rented office of Thirteen Studios in Century City, David Ellison sighed. "*Twilight*'s box office trend is really something."
Matthew, sitting relaxed in his swivel chair, replied calmly, "In one weekend, the film's North American box office is already twice the production cost. What more could you ask for?"
David Ellison shook his head. This trend indicated that the film's box office potential might be exhausted within two to three weeks, with little chance of a long run.
"It's burning out too fast, with no stamina at the box office!"
He said this, then looked up to see Matthew busy at work. Deciding not to interrupt further, he picked up the newspaper in front of him and began to read.
"After last week's explosive debut of the new James Bond film *Quantum of Solace*, everyone thought the North American box office would quiet down a bit this week in preparation for Thanksgiving. But we were all wrong... The power of today's girls is overwhelming. Not only did they propel *Twilight* to the top of the box office, but the $79.6 million they contributed far exceeded all expectations!
"There's no doubt that *Twilight* displayed an unrivaled dominance at the box office this weekend. The film's commercial success could significantly boost the strength of smaller studios like Thirteen Studios and Skydance Media."
Seeing this, David Ellison felt much more at ease. After all, based on current trends, *Twilight* could recoup its costs just from the North American box office.
So, even if *Twilight*'s box office continues to drop sharply in the future, it won't matter because its weekend total has already surpassed what many films make in several weeks. He and Matthew have clearly achieved a significant commercial victory.
Now, with a $79.6 million opening weekend, Paramount Pictures, who initially refused to produce the film, and Summit Entertainment, who missed the opportunity by haggling over details during negotiations, must be regretting their decisions.
Of course, David Ellison also couldn't afford to let this victory go to his head. As Matthew had said, *Twilight* doesn't have the broad public appeal of *Harry Potter* or *The Lord of the Rings*. There's still some risk in continuing the series as a multi-part franchise.
Moreover, with *Twilight*'s success, the male and female leads will demand higher pay for the sequels, meaning that keeping the production cost of *New Moon* within a small budget will be challenging.
Having spent several years in Hollywood, David Ellison had grown more thorough in his thinking.
He suddenly asked, "Do you think the terrible audience reviews for *Twilight* will pose a significant obstacle to our sequel plans?"
"There will definitely be some negative impact," Matthew replied, putting down the document he was holding. "But as long as we keep our core audience engaged, the sequels can still perform well."
He smiled and added, "*Twilight*'s success highlights an undeniable fact: the so-called 'kids' of the '90s have become one of the main consumer groups in the film industry."
David Ellison fully agreed with Matthew's statement. "Yes." He shook his head again. "Honestly, I'm still a bit confused—great box office, terrible reviews, and actors who inexplicably became stars.
That's the most straightforward impression this movie gives me."
But Matthew just laughed and said, "Actually, I have a vision for the future sequels—a 'triple jump' of sorts."
"What? A triple jump?" David Ellison asked.
Matthew slowly responded, "With each movie, the quality worsens, the reviews drop, but the box office keeps getting better!"
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