LOS ANGELES — "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" gobbled up $140.7 million the first three days the vampire romance was in theaters, while gaining $258.8 million worldwide.

"New Moon" placed third on the all-time domestic chart behind last year's $158.4 million opening weekend for the Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight" and 2007's $151.1 million haul for "Spider-Man 3."

Among the top-10 all-time openings, "New Moon" is the only one that came outside of Hollywood's busiest time, the summer season. The movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's next "Twilight" chapter, "Eclipse," arrives in the heart of summer, next June 30.

Overall, Hollywood had its second-biggest nonholiday weekend ever, with final numbers expected to come in slightly behind the $260 million the industry rang up over the weekend of July 18, 2008, when "The Dark Knight" opened.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters were:

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. "Disney's A Christmas Carol," $12.2 million.

6. "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," $11 million.

7. "The Men Who Stare at Goats," $2.8 million.

8. "Couples Retreat," $2 million.

9. "The Fourth Kind," $1.7 million.

10. "Law Abiding Citizen," $1.6 million.