US box office turns Paranormal

The fictional film is shot like a homemade movie

Low budget horror Paranormal Activity has landed at number one in the North American box office chart.

The film, which reportedly only cost $15,000 (£9,200) to make, took $22m (£13.5m) in its first weekend on nationwide release.

It trounced the sixth instalment of the horror franchise Saw, which opened at two with the worst takings in the series' history with $14.8m (£9.1m).

Last week's number one film, Where The Wild Things Are, fell to number three.

Saw's previous low was $18.3m (£11.2m) for the original movie, with its subsequent instalments all opening at $30m (£18.4m) or above.

Thanks to online positive word-of-mouth interest, Paramount Pictures decided to release Paranormal Activity nationwide after playing to sold-out crowds at midnight-only screenings for the past four weekends.

US BOX OFFICE TOP FIVE 1 Paranormal Activity - $22m 2 Saw VI - $14.8m 3 Where The Wild Things Are - $14.4m 4 Law Abiding Citizen - $12.7m 5 Couples Retreat - $11.1m Source: Hollywood.com

The fictional movie, shot like a homemade documentary, follows a couple coping with apparitions and supernatural phenomena in their home.

Its success on wider release brings its total box office takings to $62.5m (£38.3m).

Other new releases in the top 10 included animated film Astro Boy at six and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant at eight.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version