Quick Takes: ‘Twilight’ trails ‘Potter’

Fans flocked to theaters late at night for the final big screen foray by Bella, Jacob and Edward. However, there weren’t as many as those who turned out for Harry Potter’s farewell last year.

“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2” grossed $30.4 million from screenings at 10 p.m. Thursday and at or soon after midnight in the U.S. and Canada, according to an estimate from the distributor, Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment. Though huge, that number is smaller than the $43.5 million taken in by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” in July 2011 from midnight screenings.

It doesn’t even appear to be the biggest late night for a “Twilight” movie. That record is held by “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” which generated about $30 million from midnight screenings in June 2010.

Last November, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1” generated $30.3 million from midnight screenings at the same time, the Friday before Thanksgiving.

The movie is projected to have a massive opening of about $150 million this weekend, which would be a record for the vampire franchise.

—Ben Fritz

More new TV shows get the ax

Three more new TV series are biting the dust.

CBS is canceling “Partners,” the comedy about the professional and personal relationship of two male friends — one of whom is gay. The show, from “Will & Grace” co-creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, was the lowest-performing series on the network’s Monday comedy bloc.

ABC will not renew the dramas “Last Resort” and “666 Park Avenue” after their initial 13-episode orders. Previously CBS yanked “Made in Jersey” while NBC pulled “Animal Practice.”

—Greg Braxton

From ‘Top Chef’ to Playboy

“Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi is in the December issue of Playboy (on newsstands Nov. 20) wearing a lot of lace and not much else. In an interview, the 42-year-old single mom said she doesn’t watch the Bravo cooking reality show that she has starred in for six years, and that she gains and loses the same 10 to 15 pounds every season.

“I usually gain between 10 and 15 pounds over six weeks each season,” Lakshmi said. “Then I spend 12 weeks working it off. But it’s worth it. When the timer goes off and the food is ready, I’m really excited to eat.

“I’m lucky. I have a fast metabolism, I’m tall, and my digestive tract is ironclad and can really take a beating. Having been a model for 15 years, I also know a thing or two about how to dress if I’ve put on a few pounds.”

—Betty Hallock

Wedding plans for Liz Lemon

Liz Lemon’s love life has been one of the ongoing jokes of “30 Rock’s” seven seasons, but her creator, Tina Fey, isn’t letting her ride off into the sunset alone. NBC has announced that on the Nov. 29 episode of “30 Rock,” Lemon would finally be getting married to her boyfriend of the last two seasons, Criss (James Marsden).

The wedding announcement, sent to fans via the show’s official Twitter account, features a photo of a lemon with a wedding ring and the text, “What the What?!” and “Ms. Elizabeth Miervaldis Lemon presents herself to be married to Mr. Crisstopher Rick Chross... But not in a creepy way that perpetuates the idea that brides are virgins and women are property.”

Lemon has been dating the sweetly dopey sometime hot dog-cart vendor since last season.

—Patrick Kevin Day

Finally

South by Southwest: Dave Grohl may be taking a break from his band, but with the addition of an appearance at South by Southwest next spring, 2013 is shaping up to be a busy year nonetheless.

The Foo Fighters frontman has signed on to give the keynote speech at the 2013 South by Southwest Music Conference on March 14 in Austin, Texas.

He’s also working on his “Sound City” documentary and new Queens of the Stone Age material with Josh Homme. Both projects are expected next year as well.

Kline sale: An unnamed buyer bid $40.4 million Wednesday at Christie’s in New York for a huge 1957 untitled painting by the American abstract expressionist Franz Kline — more than six times higher than had previously been paid at a public auction for a Kline painting. The auction also brought a record high for a publicly sold work by Jeff Koons. His colorful giant sculpture, “Tulips,” fetched $33.7 million, topping his previous record of $25.8 million.