In a scene played out at theaters across the Southland and beyond, hundreds of fans lined up at Universal City's CityWalk -- some since early that morning -- for Thursday midnight screenings of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the sequel based on Stephenie Meyer's bestselling vampire novels. And if critics have been largely lukewarm on the film for being too faithful to the book, you wouldn't have known it from the Twi-hards, both before and after seeing the movie.

Michelle Medina, a 20-year-old student at Cal State Fullerton, bought her tickets for the 12:01 a.m. screening today weeks in advance. Months, actually.

"Hello. It's 'New Moon!' " said Medina, while tugging on her black shirt emblazoned with Edward Cullen's image. "It's my favorite book from the series. I totally relate to the way Bella felt when Edward left. It's heartbreaking. If I could have bought the tickets last year, I would have."

That seemed to be the prevailing sentiment as "Twilight" mania invaded movie theaters. The Summit Entertainment film sold out hundreds of midnight screenings nationwide weeks before its Friday opening. Fandango sold out more than 1,000 Thursday midnight shows. More than a week before its release, the film sold more than four times as many tickets as the original "Twilight" at MovieTickets.com at the same point in the sales cycle.

And the moviegoers weren't simply intent on seeing the film; they wanted to live it.

Scores of fans donned "Twilight"-inspired T-shirts -- some homemade with phrases like "Take your shirt off, Jacob" or "Be my lion, Edward" scrawled with markers. There were fan buttons on jackets and caps. Key chains. Posters. Even "Twilight" panties were being circulated. The uninitiated had the option of purchasing merchandise inside: shirt, $20; tote bag, $18; poster, $8.

Summit Entertainment is hoping to match the success of the first film, which grossed more than $383.6 million worldwide. And with fans like 13-year-old Emily Lamb planning multiple viewings, it's likely to happen.

"It was amazing," said Lamb, a student at Jordan David Starr Junior High in Burbank. "The scene toward the end with Bella and Edward -- oh, my God. I can't wait to see it again. And again."

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