Twilight

By : Billy Gil | Posted: 19 Mar 2009
bgil@questex.com

No recent home video release has had quite the fanfare that teen vampire drama Twilight has — not even The Dark Knight, which raked in nearly three times the box office of Twilight, which took in more than $191 million in the United States.

Home Media Research easily pits Twilight as the week’s top seller and rental, even with only two days in stores. Research analyst Edward Woo with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles said he believes Twilight will become even more of a home video phenomenon than either The Dark Knight or Iron Man.

“Twilight fans are much more avid than the average viewer of The Dark Knight or Iron Man,” Woo said. “So since they have a loyal following, I believe that these fans are also likely to buy the DVD.”

Retailers seem to be banking on the merchandising phenomenon that is Twilight, based on a book series by author Stephenie Meyer and starring hot young actors (and tabloid fodder) Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. A retailer locator offered at www.twilightthemovie.com lets consumers know where the nearest Twilight midnight release event is.

The events, generally held between 10:00 p.m. and midnight, number somewhere near 5,800. Blockbuster, Wal-Mart, Borders, F.Y.E., Hastings Entertainment and Hot Topic are all participating in the festivities.

Blockbuster is holding a blood drive in which consumers will receive a pint of ice cream in exchange for donating a pint of blood. Hastings will also host blood drives, serving coffee drinks named after characters Edward (Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who play rivals in the series. Used products at Hastings stores will be on sale for the two-hour period leading up to Twilight’s release.

Borders will have an exclusive, limited-edition two-disc boxed set of Twilight available at its midnight sales. The $39.99 set has an extra 60 minutes of special bonus features, 10 photo cards printed on pearlescent paper and unique packaging. The exclusive material includes: interviews with Pattinson, Stewart, Cam Gigandet (James), Edi Gathegi (Laurent) and Rachelle Lefevre (Victoria) from last year’s San Diego Comic-Con International; red-carpet footage from the movie’s global premiere in Los Angeles, featuring Kellan Lutz (Emmett), Ashley Greene (Alice), Nikki Reed (Rosalie) and rock band Paramore; and a re-edited version of the Borders Book Club episode with author Meyer.

Borders also has an exclusive 18-month calendar of the film at $16.99.

Wal-Mart is preparing Twilight areas called “Twilight shops” with giveaways and has given fans the chance to interview Lautner on BlogTalkRadio. The retailer will give gifts to the first 50 fans to buy Twilight at each of its stores. And it has a micro site available to preorder Twilight at Walmart.com/twilight.

Wal-Mart March 18 said Twilight was its most pre-ordered DVD in history. It has exclusively the single-disc special edition DVD of Twilight ($17). Meanwhile Best Buy and Target exclusively will carry the Twilight Blu-ray Disc (in store and online), with the rest of retailers (including Amazon.com) getting the Twilight BD May 5.
 

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Related Stories :

‘Twilight’ Site Offers Retailer Locator for Midnight Events
Wal-Mart Prepares ‘Twilight Shops,’ Micro Site
Blockbuster Hosts ‘Twilight’ Blood Drive
Kristen Stewart Has Her ‘Cake’
Comcast Bows ‘Twilight’ On Demand Day-and-Date March 20
‘Twilight’ Most Popular Pre-Order DVD at Wal-Mart

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