The question of whether the "Saw" franchise could hold up for a sixth year running against stiff competition from the horror phenom that is Oren Peli's
Paranormal Activity have been answered by Friday box office estimates that have
Paranormal Activity ahead of
Saw VI by $7.5 million to $7 million for the day.
As we reported over a week ago, Paramount's somewhat last-minute decision to expand
Paranormal Activity slowly, doubling its theater count to 1,945 sites across the nation yesterday, could have posed the first significant problem for the lucrative "Saw" franchise, but it wasn't expected by many that
Paranormal Activity could actually win the weekend and become the #1 movie in the country after five weeks in theaters.
Based on previous box office history, we can extrapolate that
Paranormal Activity will end up with $21 to 23 million for the weekend, while
Saw VI should follow previous installments by being frontloaded to Friday, leaving it with roughly $15 to 16 million for the weekend.
It's somewhat ironic since the "Saw" franchise became known as one of the most profitable horror franchises, as each installment was produced for less than $15 million but would then open to over $30 million.
Paranormal Activity was also produced cheaply and independently before being given a big marketing and distribution by Paramount Pictures.
Although
Saw VI might struggle to get to $40 million, it's likely to still be profitable for Lionsgate. The new question is whether the already-announced
Saw VII, which was announced as being produced in 3D-- first
reported by Shock back in July--will stick to that plan, especially considering the additional cost necessary to produce a 3D movie.
Stay tuned to ShockTillYouDrop for more developments on this fascinating turn of events as a new horror phenomenon continues to transcend all expectations and the "Saw" franchise might have finally met its match.
Comments
Posted by: MARK on October 24, 2009 at 11:52:58
Thank God... I'm so sick of SAW... Same garbage over and over... Way to go Paranormal Activity!!!
Posted by: Chi2LA on October 24, 2009 at 12:41:27
That's bad ass!
Posted by: djblack1313 on October 24, 2009 at 13:35:48
i'm not trying to hate on the SAWS but YES!!! this is awesome news! i have been sick and tired of most/every horror movie and studio being afraid to go up against the SAWS and this is proof that movies (not all of course) CAN kick ass against the increasingly terrible SAWS (namely 4 & 5).
Posted by: IronFist2099 on October 24, 2009 at 14:49:39
Damn, Paranormal Activity really really sucked though.
Posted by: robg on October 24, 2009 at 16:46:34
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is a terrible, terrible movie. At least SAW VI is good, if not the best of the sequels. Hopefully word of mouth will help in both cases.
Posted by: Bruce Cambell is god on October 24, 2009 at 17:27:28
Thank god people who aren't sucking that movies balls. It was so unbelievably boring and the twist was pretty damned stupid.
Posted by: Wade L on October 24, 2009 at 18:31:48
I don't understand why so many people are hating on Paramormal Activity. It was a well made movie. It was eerie in some parts and a lot better than most movies that have come out recently. Namely Saw's IV and V, Rob Zombies Halloween 1 and 2, My Bloody Valentine, Last HOuse on the Left, Hills Have Eyes yada yada yada.
Leave Paranormal Activity alone.
Posted by: spike.stampede on October 24, 2009 at 18:44:20
looking forward to saw no matter the nay sayers, however paranormal was actually the worst movie i have ever seen in my entire life.
Posted by: monsterofjonesboro on October 24, 2009 at 19:45:49
apparently you've never seen Seed of Chucky then.
Posted by: Nico on October 24, 2009 at 19:57:00
Paranormal Activity looks like the new Blair Witch. Not sure if that's good or bad, but someone's getting rich.
Posted by: matthooper on October 24, 2009 at 21:11:18
Both these films were made with a single purpose. To make money. I realize all movies are trying to make money, but at the heart of most films there is a filmmaker or filmmakers with a story to tell, maybe a point of view to explore, and maybe something to say.
Both these "films" are made solely to make money. A fifth sequel to a movie that should have stopped at 2 and a rip off on a genre of film that sucked when it was about a witch or a monster wreaking havoc in New York. Even Zombie is trying to tell a story with his films. They suck, but at least he tries.
Posted by: djblack1313 on October 25, 2009 at 00:07:21
Wade L, do you like ANYTHING?! most of the movies you mention as being bad (or whatever) are IMO pretty good (MBV3D, H1) to excellent (H2, LAST HOUSE, HILLS HAVE EYES). i'm not bashing you for what you like and don't like but i'm curious as to what movies you DO like.
Posted by: Dutch on October 25, 2009 at 00:43:17
Once again, somebody lists Paranormal Activity as the worst movie he has EVER seen. One has to wonder as to how many movies, out of eighty years of filmmaking, this expert has actually seen. You guys are funny.
Posted by: Dutch on October 25, 2009 at 00:48:02
Movies are actually made hoping to make money? Oh, the shame of it. Paranormal Activity, made for $11,000 and daring to play it out of the box, almost didn't even get released. It was bought to be remade, until somebody noticed the quality of the original rendering itself. You guys are funny.
Posted by: cinemascribe on October 25, 2009 at 02:49:03
I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I really did enjoyed Paranormal Activity and - as an independent filmmaker myself who is trying to get a proposed anthology horror project off the ground next year,I join many of my fellow artisans in recognizing the success of PA is a beacon of hope for the indie horror scene. Not only have they made a bundle, but in the process demonstrated that a solid, creepy thriller can be made with extremely limited resources. You can't help but root for these guys.
On the other hand, I'm also a devoted Saw fan. I'm of the opinion that the new film is the best to date. It has a compelling central conceit and the twists were once again a genuine surprise this time around, based more on the character relationship dynamics than an unexpected trap or the last minute reveal of a new character. I'd hate to see the series bottom out on the very film which exemplifies how terrific Saw can be when it's at the top of it's game. If anything, Saw VI goes a long way toward reminding the fans of why we fell in love with this story in the first place.
So, yeah, definitely mixed feelings.
Posted by: cinemascribe on October 25, 2009 at 02:52:35
Annnnnnd..I need to make a better effort of editing these posts before I click "submit", because I just published a post with the line "I really did enjoyed" in the opening paragraph. Damn.
Posted by: SAW Paranormal Activity Earlier on October 25, 2009 at 04:32:29
Saw Paranormal Activity earlier and I will say that it was well made and did a good job at the psychological level of playing on the fears and anxieties of an unseen event of sinister proportions. The two leads were cool and seemed fairly well played. The tension was there. But at the same time as I sat there with an open mind (read: stayed away from reading the hype online as well as not watching anything on it), I also found it to be very predictable.
As some were jumping in their seats (seemed as though these people were mostly females of the high school and college persuasion) I wasn't getting that part of it. I wasn't scared, and isn't that a big part of going to see a scary movie? To be scared? I sat there guessing what was going to happen and each time I was proven right. There were nicely done moments, but overall as well done as P.A. was executed, it's also lacking somewhat for me in that it seemed like a series of scenes with good tension and build, but then when the payoffs occured, they felt slack.
One thing that I could've done without was the very end of it. That last moment. That final frame. I won't spoil it, but those who have seen it will know of which I speak. I could've done without that last frame. I liked not seeing that the entire film. Felt it could've been much better of an ending if it were exactly played out the way it was, minus the last frame that happened just before the end credits. Would've made it more ambiguous in a way, in my opinion.
Posted by: I hate paranormal activity on October 25, 2009 at 15:29:04
paranormal activity does not deserve this, it was a terrible, boring movie, the only reason for its success is because of the lies in the marketing, this sucks, we finally get an original movie, and its utter crap, **** YOU PARAMOUNT!!
Posted by: Bruce Cambell is god on October 25, 2009 at 16:32:49
it was so damn boring, the only good part was the end and the "scary parts" were retarded. OOOOOHHHH the door moved how ****ing creepy.
(sarcasm)
Posted by: Captain_Arlong on October 26, 2009 at 01:46:19
Ghosts aren't scary because they're not real. I'll give the movie a watch, but I'm not expecting to be scared.
As for the people who keep saying Paranormal Activity is the worst movie ever made, go find a movie on DVD called Ancient Warriors. That is the worst movie ever made.
Posted by: Will Lewis on November 28, 2009 at 17:37:29
Just been to see Paranormal Activity..................................................What a load of American ****E !!!!!
Yet another film that fails to live up to its billing as a scare movie.
My granny would've pissed herself laughing at that tosh.
Posted by: BiggieSmalls on November 28, 2009 at 17:48:29
OMG its soooo scary. especially the bit with the ghost and that, i wee'd, but just a little bit, i'm afraid Will Lewis that you are wrong and its a really good film and my friends ran away crying and i havent slept in 6 days :O
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