Will 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Earn a Record Opening? Film Looks to Beat Projections

Perhaps it's because of the current box office slump, or perhaps the experts think that Twilight mania has waned a bit. Either way, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I" is projected for a lower opening weekend than previous installments. What gives?

SNL Kagan notes that while the official estimate from Summit is that their newest Twi-film will gross about $110 million to $125 million this weekend, that might be selling the movie, and its fans, a bit short.

This is, after all, the first part of the two-part finale to the movie series, and it's the one that sees not only the marriage between Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart), but also the consummation of said marriage.

Considering the rather overt metaphors for abstinence until marriage, which have created loads of sexual tension throughout the previous three movies, that makes it quite the event for Twi-hards.

And that is exactly why SNL Kagan expects that the movie could break Summit's projections and earn upwards of $135 million or more. That would make sense, too, as "New Moon" earned a little over $142 million in its three-day opening back in November of 2009.

But will the recent box office slump affect the "Breaking Dawn" opening? Is the slump even real, or is it simply a result of a lack of quality at theaters?

We'll see this weekend, but either way, "Breaking Dawn" will be a huge hit. When you're trying to decide if your movie will make $125 million or $145 million, you're in a pretty good place.