"Paranormal Activity 3" frightened the box office just in time for Halloween, taking the top spot and earning a record-setting, $54 million opening.
The third film in Paramount Pictures' low-budget fright franchise, which comes in at #1 this weekend, had the biggest debut ever for a horror movie, according to Sunday studio estimates. It broke the previous record, which was set by "Paranormal Activity 2" a year ago with $40.7 million.
Additionally, it's the biggest opening ever for an October release, topping the $50.35 million Paramount's "Jackass 3D" made last year.
"Paranormal Activity 3" is a prequel, with the discovery of disturbing home-movie footage from 1988. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who made the creepy documentary "Catfish," took over directing duties this time ... and knocked it out the park.
Last week's #1 release, the futuristic boxing robot adventure "Real Steel," fell to #2 this weekend, making $11.3 million for a domestic total of $67.2 million so far.
"Footloose (2011)" fell to #3 with $10.8 million, and "The Ides Of March" earns $4.9 and closes out the top 5 with $4.9 million.
Among the other new releases this week, Summit Entertainment's 3D version of "The Three Musketeers" came in fourth place with $8.8 million; and Universal's "Johnny English Reborn," a sequel to the 2003 spy parody starring Rowan Atkinson, opened at #8 with $3.8 million -- but it's already a huge hit internationally, having made $104.5 million so far.
In limited release, the critically acclaimed psychological thriller "Martha Marcy May Marlene" made $137,541 on four screens in New York and Los Angeles. That's $34,385 per screen average, according to Fox Searchlight.
That's a wrap for this weekend. Next weekend, look out for the release of the Justin Timberlake sci-fi thriller "In Time," the animated "Puss in Boots," and Johnny Depp's adventure "The Rum Diary."
This weekend's top 10 is as follows:
1. "Paranormal Activity 3," $54 million.
2. "Real Steel," $11.3 million.
3. "Footloose," $10.85 million.
4. "The Three Musketeers," $8.8 million.
5. "The Ides of March," $4.9 million.
6. "Dolphin Tale," $4.2 million.
7. "Moneyball," $4.05 million.
8. "Johnny English Reborn," $3.8 million.
9. "The Thing," $3.1 million.
10. "50/50," $2.8 million.
The third film in Paramount Pictures' low-budget fright franchise, which comes in at #1 this weekend, had the biggest debut ever for a horror movie, according to Sunday studio estimates. It broke the previous record, which was set by "Paranormal Activity 2" a year ago with $40.7 million.
Additionally, it's the biggest opening ever for an October release, topping the $50.35 million Paramount's "Jackass 3D" made last year.
"Paranormal Activity 3" is a prequel, with the discovery of disturbing home-movie footage from 1988. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who made the creepy documentary "Catfish," took over directing duties this time ... and knocked it out the park.
Last week's #1 release, the futuristic boxing robot adventure "Real Steel," fell to #2 this weekend, making $11.3 million for a domestic total of $67.2 million so far.
"Footloose (2011)" fell to #3 with $10.8 million, and "The Ides Of March" earns $4.9 and closes out the top 5 with $4.9 million.
Among the other new releases this week, Summit Entertainment's 3D version of "The Three Musketeers" came in fourth place with $8.8 million; and Universal's "Johnny English Reborn," a sequel to the 2003 spy parody starring Rowan Atkinson, opened at #8 with $3.8 million -- but it's already a huge hit internationally, having made $104.5 million so far.
In limited release, the critically acclaimed psychological thriller "Martha Marcy May Marlene" made $137,541 on four screens in New York and Los Angeles. That's $34,385 per screen average, according to Fox Searchlight.
That's a wrap for this weekend. Next weekend, look out for the release of the Justin Timberlake sci-fi thriller "In Time," the animated "Puss in Boots," and Johnny Depp's adventure "The Rum Diary."
This weekend's top 10 is as follows:
1. "Paranormal Activity 3," $54 million.
2. "Real Steel," $11.3 million.
3. "Footloose," $10.85 million.
4. "The Three Musketeers," $8.8 million.
5. "The Ides of March," $4.9 million.
6. "Dolphin Tale," $4.2 million.
7. "Moneyball," $4.05 million.
8. "Johnny English Reborn," $3.8 million.
9. "The Thing," $3.1 million.
10. "50/50," $2.8 million.
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