Hot Topics:

'Transformers' opens with $16 million

Nabs best midnight run ever for a Wednesday

Moscow studios given the go-ahead

Norway agrees digital pact with majors

Radical Pictures taps Courtney Pledger

Queensland film funder taps topper

'New Moon' shines at box office(8026 views)

'New Moon' takes opening day record(1398 views)

Weitz digs 'Gardener'(935 views)

Oprah gets steamy with HBO(735 views)

ABC adopts 'Find My Family' show(664 views)

Few frontrunners for revamped Oscars(654 views)

Paramount's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" grossed an estimated $16 million in midnight runs, the best gross ever for a film opening on a Wednesday.

And it's the third highest midnight gross of all time after "The Dark Knight" ($18.5 million) and "Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith" ($17 million). "Dark Knight" had the advantage of opening on a Friday. "Revenge of the Sith" opened on a Thursday.

"Transformers 2" opened in roughly 3,000 runs at 12:01 midnight on Wednesday.

�Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix� was the previous record-holder for best midnight gross for a Wednesday release, having earned $12 million in midnight viewings in July 2007.

�Transformers 2� expands today into a total of 4,226 runs.