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Whisper Numbers: Paranormal Activity 3 finds more footage.

For the third year in a row, Paramount looks to dominate the weekend before Halloween with its low-budget, found footage horror franchise.  After disposing the Saw series last year, Paranormal Activity 3 [PNAC3] has the horror market all to itself.  Although Paranormal Activity 2 opened to $40.7 million last year, many complained it was too similar to the original.  Filmmakers wisely set the latest installment as a prequel and multiplied the jump scare factor as seen in the trailers. Buzz and interest remain high for fans of the series. Stalking into 3221 theaters, Paranormal Activity 3 looks to once again hit $40 million.

Writer-director Paul Anderson [PANDE] updates the classic tale The Three Musketeers [3MSKT] with 3D special effects. However, the famed heroes are played by actors lacking any starpower, while recognizable faces Milla Jovovich [MJOVO], Orlando Bloom [OBLOO], and Christoph Waltz [CWALT] are only supporting characters. With Disney’s 1993 star-studded adaptation still fresh in memory, Summit’s PG-13 remake is unlikely to draw many adults.  Poor reviews may deter anyone but the young male audience. Parrying in 3017 theaters, The Three Musketeers may be on guard for about $14 million.

After a couple of weeks as the champ, Real Steel [RSTEL] looks to get knocked down a couple of spots. The boxing robots could sock away another $9.5 million.

The dance remake Footloose [FTLOS] met expectation, but did not break out as Paramount hoped. With its target female audience at Paranormal Activity 3, Footloose may lose 50% to $8 million in its second weekend.

Rowan Atkinson [RATKI] returns as a bumbling spy in the comedy Johnny English Reborn [JENG2]. The original Johnny English opened to $9.1 million in 2003, while Mr. Bean’s Holiday cleared $9.9 million in 2007. However, today’s moviegoers may have outgrown Atkinson’s brand of PG-rated humor. Johnny English Reborn may tally $5 million from 1551 locations.

That’s the whisper from the trading floor.



Tag(s): PNAC3, PANDE, 3MSKT, MJOVO, OBLOO, CWALT, RSTEL, FTLOS, RATKI, JENG2

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By Box Office Whisperer on Thursday, October 20, 2011 @ 04:55 PM 7524 views

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Americana aka National Anthem (NATHM) 26205 12.18 (-0.17)          Sasha Calle (SACAL) 25000 36.35 (+0.36)          Sasha Calle (SACAL) 25000 36.35 (+0.36)          Finn Wolfhard (FWOLF) 25000 25.73 (-16.57)          Sasha Calle (SACAL) 25000 36.35 (+0.36)          Willem Dafoe (WDAFO) 25000 72.51 (-0.06)          Finn Wolfhard (FWOLF) 25000 25.73 (-16.57)          Cheech Marin (CMARI) 25000 50.32 (-18.10)          Jacob Elordi (JELOR) 25000 6.72 (-0.20)          Winter Spring Summer or Fall (WSSOF) 498 0.23 (0.00)          Jacob Elordi (JELOR) 25000 6.72 (-0.20)          Cheech Marin (CMARI) 25000 50.32 (-18.10)          Daisy Edgar-Jones (DEDGA) 25000 113.65 (+1.72)          J.K. Simmons (JKSIM) 25000 83.21 (+0.27)          The Trouble with Jessica (TWJES) 1000 0.13 (-0.01)          Daisy Edgar-Jones (DEDGA) 25000 113.65 (+1.72)          Daisy Edgar-Jones (DEDGA) 25000 113.65 (+1.72)          Daisy Edgar-Jones (DEDGA) 25000 113.65 (+1.72)          War 2 (WAR2) 150000 4.37 (+1.16)          Will Poulter (WPOUL) 25000 63.31 (-0.57)          Went Up the Hill (WUPTH) 150000 1.00 (0.00)          The Actor (TACTR) 150000 0.03 (0.00)          War 2 (WAR2) 150000 4.37 (+1.16)          The Trouble with Jessica (TWJES) 998 0.13 (-0.01)          McCarthy (MCRTY) 150000 0.05 (+0.02)          Greatest Days (GRTSD) 150000 0.04 (+0.02)          Neighborhood Watch (NBRHW) 199 0.43 (0.00)          Tyriq Withers (TWITH) 25000 20.00 (0.00)          Tyriq Withers (TWITH) 25000 20.00 (0.00)          Untitled Walt Disney Animation S (UWDAS) 150000 93.63 (+1.06)          Neighborhood Watch (NBRHW) 199 0.43 (0.00)          Avengers: Secret Wars (AVNG6) 20000 447.74 (+1.07)          Sasha Calle (SACAL) 25000 36.35 (+0.36)          Starship Troopers (STRPR) 150000 64.63 (+5.49)          Finn Wolfhard (FWOLF) 25000 25.73 (-16.57)          The Chosen Season 6 (TCS61) 15000 12.07 (-0.06)          Went Up the Hill (WUPTH) 150000 1.00 (0.00)          Shrek 5 (SHRK5) 10000 191.62 (+1.86)          The Shrouds (SHRUD) 1000 0.63 (+0.02)          Barry Keoghan (BKEOG) 25000 54.60 (-0.33)          The Life of Chuck (LCHUC) 20000 28.44 (+2.40)          Willem Dafoe (WDAFO) 25000 72.51 (-0.06)          J.K. Simmons (JKSIM) 25000 83.21 (+0.27)          Willem Dafoe (WDAFO) 25000 72.51 (-0.06)          Starship Troopers (STRPR) 149994 64.63 (+5.49)          The Beekeeper 2 (BEKP2) 75000 30.76 (+2.31)          Starship Troopers (STRPR) 149994 64.63 (+5.49)          Emily Watson (EWATS) 25000 21.09 (+0.57)          Emily Watson (EWATS) 25000 21.09 (+0.57)          Will Poulter (WPOUL) 25000 63.31 (-0.57)