Paranormal Activity 3 scares off box office competition


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Production cost for Paranormal Activity 3 might have run just $5 million, but its debut this weekend exceeded expectations and opened to a staggering $54 million. This third installment of candid-and-creepy-camera features serves as the prequel to the first two Paranormal Activity movies about a demonic force that haunts a pair of sisters.

It is the most successful October movie debut ever, beating last year’s Jackass 3-D, which opened at $50.4. It is also the best opening since the $54.8 million August opening of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. According to CNN, Paramount is claiming Paranormal Activity 3 is the best horror opening of all time, topping the 40.7 debut of Paranormal Activity 2.

However, CinemaScore graders rated the film a poor “C+” in comparison to Paranormal Activity 2’s “B” rating. PA2 also drew a younger audience, with 60 percent under the age of 25. PA3 continued to attract younger moviegoers, but it dropped to 53 percent that were under the age of 25. Considering that next week is Halloween weekend, Paramount does not expect ratings to drop.

The studio’s vice-chairman, Rob Moore, told the Hollywood Reporter “there’s no ‘Paranormal Activity 4’ currently in development, but that ‘people certainly continue to be very interested in the franchise.’ ”

 

1. Paranormal Activity 3 — $54.0 mil

2. Real Steel — $11.3 mil

3. Footloose — $10.9 mil

4. The Three Musketeers — $8.8 mil

5. The Ides of March — $4.9 mil