In its fifth week of release, Paramount’s Paranormal Activity [PNACT] finally ascended to the top of the weekend box office. In its nationwide expansion to 1945 theaters, the R-rated horror film scared up an estimated $22 million, up 12% from last week. The success has been driven by mainly by word of mouth, as Paramount has spent less than $10 million on marketing. With $62.5 million and counting in the bank, Paranormal Activity is the new King of Halloween.
Capping an abrupt end to a five-year reign, Saw VI [SAW6] grossed just $14.8 million, less than half of the last installment, Saw V. T the Lionsgate horror series suffered from franchise fatigue as horror fans opted for the cool new entry in town, Paranormal Activity.
In third place, Where the Wild Things Are [WILD] tumbled 56% in its second weekend to $14.4 million.. The kid’s movie for adults has earned nearly $54 million. Law Abiding Citizen [LACTZ] held up better, declining just 40% to $12.7 million for the fourth spot.
The weekend’s three other new releases opened weakly. The animated Astro Boy [ASBOY] debuted in seventh place with $7.0 million. The teen fantasy Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant [VAMPA] came in eighth at $6.3 million. The biopic Amelia [AMELA] finished out of the top ten with barely $4.0 million. None of the three were able to even bring out their intended target audiences.
| Rank | TITLE | F-S-S | TOTAL |
| 1 | PARANORMAL ACTIVITY | $22,000,000 | $62,477,000 |
| 2 | SAW VI | $14,800,000 | $14,800,000 |
| 3 | WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE | $14,420,000 | $53,960,000 |
| 4 | LAW ABIDING CITIZEN | $12,713,000 | $40,317,815 |
| 5 | COUPLES RETREAT | $11,097,140 | $78,213,340 |
| 6 | ASTRO BOY | $7,017,000 | $7,017,000 |
| 7 | THE STEPFATHER | $6,500,000 | $20,352,000 |
| 8 | CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT | $6,347,970 | $6,347,970 |
| 9 | CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS | $5,600,000 | $115,204,000 |
| 10 | ZOMBIELAND | $4,300,000 | $67,300,000 |
| 11 | AMELIA | $4,025,000 | $4,025,000 |
Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.
Tag(s): PNACT, SAW6, WILD, LACTZ, ASBOY, VAMPA, AMELA