'Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1' Earns $72M on Day 1; Secret Doc. Reveals Summit Plans to Make $1.2B

The Twilight Saga series of films may be reaching its climax but there seems to be no slowdown at the box office, as fans greeted Breaking Dawn - Part 1, the first part of the series finale, in record numbers.

The film, starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, enjoyed the third-highest opening day ever and earned an estimated $72 million on its first day in U.S. and Canadian theaters.

Although the film couldn't outperform Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011; $91.1 million) or The Twilight Saga - New Moon (2009; $72.7 million), midnight screenings of the movie did help it beat The Dark Knight (2008), Transformers (2007) and most of the films in the Harry Potter series; it took in $30.25 million in midnight shows.

A statement by Hollywood.com Box Office suggested the film may make as much $140 million in three days. If the figure does prove to be accurate, the film would then enjoy the fifth-highest opening weekend ever, behind Deathly Hallows - Part 2, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 3 (2007) and New Moon.

If the predictions prove true, Breaking Dawn is set to enjoy the fifth-highest opening weekend ever behind Deathly Hallows, Part 2, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 3 and New Moon. While Eclipse opened with $68.5 million, the first Twilight opened with $36 million.

Breaking Dawn - Part 1 is being shown on an estimated 4,000 screens and is based on the final novel by Stephenie Meyer.

Summit Plans to Make $1.2 billion off Breaking Dawn - Part 1

The multi-million dollar opening of Breaking Dawn - Part 1 has already broken box office records. However, according to confidential documents obtained by TheWrap, the final two films in the franchise could generate more than $1.2 billion in revenues and $447 million in profits for the studio and its investors.

According to the report, the number isn't impossible. The previous two films in the series grossed around $700 million each, worldwide. The latest in the installment is expected to make up to $140 million, domestically, this weekend alone.

The three stars, Pattinson, Stewart and Taylor Lautner, will also be raking in the cash. The trio reportedly gets $25 million each for performing in the last two Twilight films. However, Summit declined to confirm or deny this information.