The cast of "New Moon"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

#1 "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" ($140.7 million)
#2 "The Blind Side" ($34.5 million)
#3 "2012" ($26.5 million)
#4 "Planet 51" ($12.6 million)
#5 "A Christmas Carol" ($12.2 million)

The full extent of the "Twilight" phenomenon made itself known this weekend with the debut of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the second installment in the supernatural romance franchise starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. There was little to no doubt that "New Moon" would emerge as this weekend's box-office champion, but perhaps no one was prepared for just how successful Summit Entertainment's "Twilight" sequel would be.

On Friday alone, "New Moon" managed to earn $72.7 million, surpassing "The Dark Knight" as the single best opening day in cinema history. A hefty $26.3 million chunk of that Friday change came purely from midnight showings, propelling "New Moon" past "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" with the highest-grossing midnight opening of all time. "New Moon" also debuted with the biggest November opening ever and the third-best opening weekend of all time, taking that distinction away from "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

To put the success of "New Moon" in perspective, the first "Twilight" film — which opened almost a year ago to the day — earned only $69.6 million in its debut weekend, demonstrating just how widespread the "Twilight" craze has become in only 12 months.

The audience for the "Twilight" films isn't just made of young women pining for shirtless screen time from Pattinson and Lautner, either — the movie's audience, while mostly female, was divided evenly between viewers under and over the age of 21. Apparently, there is no age restriction when it comes to falling in love with vampire and werewolf heartthrobs.

The success of "Twilight" won't end with "New Moon" either, as "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" launches on June 30, 2010.

Despite the unprecedented victory for "New Moon," credit must be given to some of the film's other competitors this weekend. "The Blind Side," starring Sandra Bullock, managed a second-place finish with an impressive $34.5 million intake. "Planet 51," another newcomer, earned fourth place with $12.6 million. Holdovers "2012" and "A Christmas Carol" also performed adequately under the pressure of "New Moon," winding up with $26.5 million and $12.2 million apiece.

Upcoming Releases

Warner Bros. unleashes "Ninja Assassin" next weekend to combat the formidable vampires and werewolves of "New Moon," while Buena Vista hopes to corner the comedy market with John Travolta and Robin Williams' "Old Dogs."

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• 'Twilight' Fans React To 'New Moon'
• 'New Moon' Stars Talk 'Eclipse'

• "New Moon" Takes Over The Newstands
• The 'Twilight: New Moon' Burger King Fan Pack
• Behind The Scenes With The 'New Moon' Cast

Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart
Photo: Summit Entertainment

With even Kirsten Stewart questioning Bella's alliance to Edward and with Taylor Lautner looking particularly beefy these days, it's no wonder die-hard Team Edward members are questioning their allegiance to the brooding vampire.

Some fans are switching teams altogether — so does that mean no one is on Team Edward anymore?

"I'm still Team Edward," Stephanie told MTV News early Friday after catching a midnight screening of "New Moon" in New York. "Die-hard."

The majority of Twi-Hards agreed that no matter how hot Lautner gets, Edward will always have their hearts. But, obviously, Jacob has his supporters too, many of whom were always behind the werewolf, along with some newcomers.

"I was definitely Team Edward, and I'm kind of leaning toward Jacob now," Alyssa said. Another fan added: "Team Jacob. I like the underdog."

At a Thursday "New Moon" screening in New York, Stewart elaborated on Bella's relationship with Edward in the forthcoming films. "I've always backed her up in her devotion to Edward," she said. "And to see that falter will be interesting. ... I'm looking forward to seeing the love triangle actually becoming a problem. We sort of innocently touch on it in 'New Moon,' but it actually becomes something that is very, very real."

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• 'Twilight' Fans React To 'New Moon'
• 'New Moon Revealed'

• The Evolution Of: Robert Pattinson
• The Evolution Of: Taylor Lautner
• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York

Robert Pattinson on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Wednesday
Photo: Warner Bros.

Robert Pattinson is one busy guy. Between shooting and promoting the "Twilight Saga" films, he rarely gets to see his loved ones. So when he stopped by Ellen DeGeneres' talk show Friday (November 20), he brought his whole family with him. But, to be safe, they stayed away from the screaming fans in the audience.

"That's the way I like to keep my family," he joked to Ellen. "Just in a pen."

As for the fans, they didn't really stop screaming from the moment Pattinson first appeared on the stage. It seemed to be a bit much for Pattinson. "It's still in your ears afterward," he said about the resounding response. "We've done five or six countries in a week."

DeGeneres asked the actor if he had any clue just how big the "Twilight" movies would be. "I don't think anyone did," he said. "And it keeps getting bigger as well."

Pattinson said he was surprised that the "New Moon" set wasn't accosted by fans more frequently. "They did occasionally, but it was much more so on the first one," he said. "I think we were just so remote."

Ellen and Pattinson then took a trip down memory lane, showing pictures of the star at various ages. "I just realized my milk teeth look exactly the same as my teeth now," he said about his baby pictures. He photos popped up of him from his modeling days, including one that him in just a scarf and boxers. "I know exactly what picture's coming," he laughed.

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York
• 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' Cast Tour

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "New Moon"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

"New Moon" director Chris Weitz seems pretty pleased with the way he ended the second movie in the "Twilight Saga." But the fans who have already gotten a chance to see the movie are still reeling from Weitz's directorial decision. Not to give too much away, but some said it wasn't the conclusion they'd expected.

"I was really surprised by the ending, the way they kept us hanging like that," Jordana de la Cruz from Rhode Island told MTV News, after seeing a midnight screening in New York. "I hated it, but I liked it at the same time."

Several fans who had read Stephenie Meyer's novels regarded the movie's ending, which involves Edward and Bella on the verge of something big, as the biggest surprise in the whole movie. "The book had more to the ending, and I liked where they left it here, like a cliff-hanger for the next one that's coming out," Twilight Mom Sandy Moffit from Illinois told us.

Jillian Rovrer from Daytona Beach, Florida, told us that though she was surprised by the ending, "it wasn't as exciting as other parts of the movie. It was to be expected."

Although the fans didn't want to give too much away when asked about it, they did reveal that fellow Twilighters are going to have the rug pulled out from under them. "I wouldn't. ... it's a spoiler, but the way it ended, what happened before the blackout, is the big deal," Habiba Tinubu said. "Everyone just screamed and was shocked that it ended."

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• 'Twilight' Fans React To 'New Moon'
• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York

• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York

Taylor Lautner in "New Moon"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

The big story this weekend may not only be about how awesome "New Moon" is — there will probably be a lot of talk about Taylor Lautner's new bulked-up physique. Some fans have even said that the muscles are a game-changer, and have switched their allegiances from Team Edward to Team Jacob.

"Amazing! Let me tell you, I think that was probably the best part of the movie — seeing him half-naked the whole time," Stephanie told MTV News after catching a midnight screening of "New Moon" in New York City.

Other fans not only loved the muscles, but also Jacob's new shorter 'do in the movie. "Taylor definitely stole the show," fan Melissa gushed. "This was all about Taylor."

Cece thought that the rest of the guys in the flick should have had some quality shirtless time as well. "Amazing! I wish the rest of them were just as buff as him," she said. "I love that his shirt was off the whole time."

Many fans called the transformation surprising. "Tan and lean and warm — and meaty!" fans joked. "Very meaty. I think that's the only word that could describe him."

"You know, usually I'm not a Team Jacob person," one fan said. "But I can't even lie — he looks pretty good." Her pal added that even she is seeing Jacob in a new light. "Taylor Lautner ... he looks way better. I have a little tiny crush on him, but I'm still Team Edward."

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• 'Twilight' Fans React To 'New Moon'

• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York

"New Moon" poster
Photo: Summit Entertainment

In "New Moon," Bella is filled with confusion as Edward leaves her, Jacob Black makes his move and the nomad vampires continue to surround Forks. When it comes to Twilighters and the box office, however, there is no such indecision — and the results are already showing in record-setting numbers.

Summit Entertainment is reporting that the "Twilight" sequel opened on Thursday night to an unprecedented $26.3 million during its midnight screenings across the country. The film unspooled on 3,514 screens, playing at 12:01 a.m. for die-hard fans — many of whom arrived at the theaters dressed as their favorite characters.

That total handily beats the midnight-screening record of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." This seems to vindicate "Twilight" star Jackson Rathbone, who famously responded to our question of whether Stephenie Meyer's franchise could take on J.K. Rowling's juggernaut, "I don't know; they've got brooms."

In case you need further proof that "Twilight" is the new "Potter," look no further than the recent news that "New Moon" set the record for most presold tickets before opening day, or that the movie's soundtrack charted at #1. Or that a one-day re-release of "Twilight" grossed $1.3 million on 2,057 screens on Thursday. And so, the lion fell in love with the lamb, and moviegoers fell in love with the "Twilight" series.

"New Moon" is the second installment in the "Twilight Saga" series that is scheduled to release "Eclipse" next summer and almost inevitably "Breaking Dawn" sometime after that. In addition to the box-office numbers, the opinions of the fans so far seem to be mostly favorable, and even Kurt Loder seems to like it more than the original film. Stay tuned to MTV News throughout the weekend, as we'll continue bringing you the very latest news on the "New Moon" box-office receipts.

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• 'New Moon Revealed'
• 'Twilight' Fans React To 'New Moon'
• 'New Moon' L.A. Premiere: Red-Carpet Interviews And More!

• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York
• "New Moon" Premieres In Los Angeles
• The Evolution Of: Kristen Stewart
• The Evolution Of: Robert Pattinson
• The Evolution Of: Taylor Lautner

Tony Leung in "Red Cliff"
Photo: Magnolia Pictures

It's been too long since we all had some John Woo in our lives. DVD viewings of "Face/Off" and the second "Mission: Impossible" flick can only do so much to quell the need for insane, "How in the world did they do that?" action sequences. Where has this guy been? Why has it been six years since American audiences last got a glimpse of his work in the theaters?

The answer is now clear: Woo spent five years creating a ridiculously elaborate war movie, mind-boggling in scale, adrenaline-raising in action. Behold "Red Cliff," a retelling of a key point in Chinese history that ushered in the end of the Han Dynasty in the second century, a battle between an undersized army that overcame a vastly more powerful force.

"I wanted to introduce an American audience to a rich part of Chinese history," the director told MTV News. "I wanted to show, for the first time on the screen, the Asian battle tactics and strategy and formations. Audiences have never seen anything like it."

It's hard to argue with that statement. "Red Cliff," which opens on Friday (November 20), features thousands of extras, massive sets and tremendous battle sequences teeming with flaming arrows and catapults and bodies — all seen with breathtakingly beautiful cinematography. It was made possible because Woo shot the film in China with vast assistance from the Chinese government, including the use of enormous soundstages and the work of thousands of soldiers, who actually built roads to remote locations for some sequences.

"I have wanted to make this project for over 20 years," Woo said. "I grew up with this story — so many heroes I admired. I also wanted to make an epic like 'Lawrence of Arabia,' 'Seven Samurai,' 'Spartacus,' 'Gladiator' — that kind of thing. But it was really hard to make that kind of movie in Hollywood. While I had been working in Hollywood for over 16 years, I had learned so much from so many talented people. I had learned from the technology, the working system, everything. I think it's about time to bring what I have learned from Hollywood — the new experience — into Asia, to let young people share it, to learn something about it. And that's one of the biggest reasons I go to China for 'Red Cliff.' "

Check out everything we've got on "Red Cliff."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth in "The Last Song"
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures

Miley Cyrus isn't exactly denying rumors that she's dating Liam Hemsworth, her Australian co-star in "The Last Song" (and the guy who may or may not have encouraged her to quit Twitter), but the soon-to-be 17-year-old singer/actress says that they're definitely BFFs.

"It sucks when your personal life becomes public," she said in the December/January issue of Seventeen magazine. "So I'm finding ways to make my personal and private life more of my life — which is one of the reasons why I deleted my Twitter. We've decided that any type of relationship that we have, we will always just keep it very DL. First and foremost, we are best friends, so that's what I tell people all the time."

Whether or not they are dating, she did say that Hemsworth has the ability to just make her feel really good about herself. "All you want is for one person to say, 'You did a really good job today.' Or 'You look really beautiful,' or 'I was really moved by that.' You just want one person to make you feel good about something you're doing," she explained. "Liam has been a big part of that."

Cyrus said that Liam's support on the set of "Last Song," which opens in April 2010, helped her take on a more mature role than her "Hannah Montana" body of work.

"I've never gotten along with someone so well," she said. "I was a little anxious about making this movie; I wanted everything to be perfect. To go on set and feel insecure was a totally new element for me. But he felt the same way. He admitted his insecurities, and it was really nice to have someone who understands me for once."

This nurturing work relationship almost never happened, Cyrus revealed. When she heard a rumor that he didn't really want the role, she was ready to believe the worst of him at their first audition. "I'm thinking, 'Here's this guy, he's amazingly good-looking, super-confident, and he doesn't realize how blessed he is to be in this room, because I know how blessed I am,' " she recalled. "Then I started talking with him, and he was just the most genuinely precious, sweet person. And the second audition comes around, and the chemistry was instant. From the time he walked in that door and we saw each other again, we [both] lit up, and we were excited to get to work and learn together."

Check out everything we've got on "The Last Song."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• "Last Song"

• Miley Cyrus

Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
Photo: Disney

When "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" was announced for a summer 2011 release, fans went wild. Then the project hit rough waters following the departure of studio chief Dick Cook, a big supporter of "Pirates" star Johnny Depp. The Jack Sparrow actor subsequently expressed hesitation about continuing with the series.

Still, the project sails forward. Depp's not a lock until he signs off on the script, which he hasn't yet seen, but Captain Barbossa actor Geoffrey Rush told MTV in late September that he's been told to keep his schedule open for cameras to roll next spring.

And before any of that took place, in midsummer, word emerged that Rob Marshall, director of the Academy Award-winning "Chicago," is negotiating to direct "On Stranger Tides." So when MTV's Josh Horowitz spoke to Marshall at the press junket for his upcoming musical "Nine," he had to squeeze in a few questions about the status of his work on "Pirates."

"[The deal is] very close to happening, actually," Marshall said. "I'm very excited ... excited to work with Johnny."

It's an unusual change of gears for the series. Gore Verbinski directed the three previous entries, a good pairing of material with the same guy who directed "The Ring" and the Brad Pitt/Julia Roberts-starring action/thriller "The Mexican." Marshall, on the other hand, represents a sharp change in direction, what with his "Chicago" and (soon enough) "Nine" cred — two musicals.

"I think [Disney is] probably looking for a fresh approach," he explained. "I think it's good when you're doing these series' of films, like 'Harry Potter.' It's nice to bring in a fresh approach." The real question is, how does Marshall define "fresh"?

"I don't know yet. Johnny's playing Captain Jack, so that's there," he revealed. "It'll be its own thing. I'll approach it as a film." This confirmation is at odds with that he'd only do another "Pirates" if he read a script that was "worthy of the audience's attention," but Marshall is pretty sure the actor is in.

"You know what, [he's in] as far as I know. The truth is, we all love Dick [Cook]. He's a very special, special man," Marshall explained. "So [his departure from Disney] was hard for everybody. But Johnny is a great guy and we've been looking to work together for awhile, so it's going to be nice to be able to do that, hopefully."

Marshall doesn't have a timetable, though he is certain that "On Stranger Tides" is next for him. Given the musical background, we have to wonder if Depp will get to break into song, especially after his success with Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd" adaptation. And a Jack Sparrow song-and-dance number could be an amazing thing indeed.

"I'm sure we'll do something," Marshall revealed. There'll be a little something in there ... from us. The great thing is that I love Johnny. He's incredible, as an actor and as a person too. So I know it'll be a great experience."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Nikki Reed at the New York screening of "New Moon" on Thursday
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — "New Moon" fans will probably walk out of theaters this weekend with a concrete idea of which scene is their favorite. And, as it turns out, it's no different for the stars of the flick. Some favor the vampy scenes, while others still can't get over Taylor Lautner's magnetism.

"I liked when Jacob transforms into the werewolf," Peter Facinelli revealed to MTV News. "When I was reading the book — I mean, your imagination goes so far, and I was like, 'I can't wait to see that in the film,' and it didn't disappoint."

Facinelli also loved getting to see the scene with the film's soundtrack worked in. "I saw an early cut of it, and I loved that cut," he explained. "And it was pretty similar, except it had all the music laid into it. I've been listening to the soundtrack, so it's been pretty cool."

Fellow Cullen Ashley Greene flew her Team Jacob flag by highlighting the wolf fights. "I think that I like the wolf fight. You never know how those are going to turn out with the CGI. I think it turned out very well," she said, adding that evil vamps Jane and Aro are also cool.

"I was obviously there filming it and kind of saw the way Michael Sheen commanded the room, and he's so fantastic to watch and be across from," she added. "So I wanted to see how they came across on film, and I thought that it was a very cool scene."

It seems that more Cullens are also jumping on the Jacob bandwagon. Kellan Lutz added, "The first time I saw it, it wasn't 100-percent done, so the werewolves were still clay-mation. But the wolf fighting, it's awesome. It really is pretty cool."

Nikki Reed may be Lutz's partner onscreen, but in real life she had to admit that seeing any scene with Lautner in the film stands out as her favorite. "Anything with Taylor in it!" she said. "I always believed in Taylor, but I didn't know how much he would shine, and he truly is a star. And I've never seen such a gorgeous young man do an entire seen with his shirt off and you don't even notice. He's intoxicating!"

• 'Twilight' Fans React To 'New Moon'
• 'New Moon' Stars Talk 'Eclipse'

• 'New Moon' Premieres In New York
• 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' Cast Tour