The second installment in the “Twilight” saga, starring Robert Pattinson as vampire Edward Cullen, Kristen Stewart as his star-crossed love, and Taylor Lautner as the wolfboy who loves her, has already ripped through a box office record.

“New Moon” is the biggest midnight showing in history, grossing $26.3 million when it opened in 3,514 theaters at 12:01 a.m. Friday, according to Hollywood trade magazine Variety.

Collecting more than the $22.2 million that “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” earned during its midnight showing this summer, “New Moon” even surpassed the supernatural cinema force that is “Harry Potter.”

“Twilight,” which earned $36 million on opening day last year, was easily beaten by its sequel. Early reports are that “New Moon” will do even better than “Twilight’s” opening weekend of $69.7 million.

However, the film—which is based on Stephenie Meyer’s blockbuster series—was denounced by the Vatican in an announcement released Friday.

(article and photo source: CNN)