Film Weekend Per Total
1 Saw 3D $24,200,000 $8,013 $24,200,000
2 Paranormal Activity 2 $16,500,000 (-59.4%) $5,094 $65,658,000
3 Red $10,811,000 (-28.1%) $3,228 $58,905,000
4 Jackass 3-D $8,425,000 (-60.5%) $2,684 $101,578,000
5 Hereafter $6,320,000 (-47.4%) $2,607 $22,161,000
6 Secretariat $5,071,000 (-27.6%) $1,632 $44,774,000
7 The Social Network $4,700,000 (-35.4%) $1,699 $79,706,000
8 Life as We Know It $4,000,000 (-34.8%) $1,399 $43,478,000
9 The Town $1,950,000 (-29.1%) $1,213 $87,602,000
10 Conviction $1,825,000 (+502.0%) $3,230 $2,378,000

This just in: Silver Shamrock

As the last Saw entry only made $27 Million dollars at the box office, it’s hard to argue that the gimmickry didn’t work for Saw 3-D. That said, at the prime of the series Saw sequels were opening a little over $30 Million, so – even for the last entry – these numbers are soft in comparison. And then next weekend the picture should be off more than 60%, so this one should do somewhere over $40 Million, but may not double its opening weekend. So this “last” Saw movie will surely lead to a number of ancilary perks (via box sets, etc.), but Lionsgate knew they had run the spigot dry so it’s a half win. 

Paranormal Activity 2 was always going to have a certain limited appeal, and these numbers are expected. Even if it was a sequel, I’m sure that people looking fro horror but who didn’t see the first Paranormal or any of the Saw franchise would rather see PA2. So if any movie got an appreciable Halloween bump, it was this film. Which suggests that October is a good month for horror movies, but hardly the only month. Activity has no shot at cross $100 Million like the first film, but I would guess it could limp to around $80 Million or so. Where Jackass 3-D has not only been the most successful of its franchise, it’s now the first film to cross the nine digit mark. Next weekend there’s a number of high profile titles, one being 3-D and from Dreamworks animation (which means Paramount), so the film is going to get the treatment Johnny Knoxville got in the film come Friday. That said, the picture could limp to $120 Million, but should settle for something over $110.

Red is performing well for what it is, and held strong. Old people pictures can buck trends. Though the target demo for this film aren’t targeted next weekend, the three new pictures will probably help send this away. $80 Million it is! Hereafter fell less than 50% which would normally be a good thing, but then look at the other numbers. Everything else that wasn’t Jackass or Paranormal fell in the 30’s range. Which means this didn’t sink its teeth into any group. Likely this will be a quiet failure. Secretariat is at the point where even if it hangs around for a bit longer $60 would be as good as it gets.

The Social Network will cross over $80 Million tomorrow, The Town will get to $90 eventually, and Conviction added more screens and cracked the top ten. Perhaps they’ve got a hook to sell, and it could play a bit longer as it adds screens. My guess is this is as high as it charts.

The Fall/Holiday season of A titles starts next week. Harry Potter and Little Fockers are the anchors. True Grit and Tron: Legacy are exciting but possibly disappointing question marks. Gulliver’s Travels and Yogi Bear suggest that humanity is hated.