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Re: Saw VI gets destroyed at the box office
LOS ANGELES - "Paranormal Activity" has won a weekend battle of fright films over part six of the "Saw" franchise. The upstart chiller "Paranormal Activity" went into nationwide release and took over the No. 1 spot with $22 million. That compares to just $14.8 million for the debut of "Saw VI," a franchise that has been an annual Halloween fixture since 2004.
It was the worst opening ever for Lionsgate's "Saw" series, whose previous low was $18.3 million for the original movie. Subsequent installments of the "Saw" franchise all opened at $30 million or better.
This time, horror fans simply gravitated toward "Paranormal Activity" instead of "Saw VI."
"`Paranormal' ate their lunch," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "There's no other way to explain it."
After four weeks in narrower release, distributor Paramount slotted "Paranormal Activity" into 1,945 theaters. That still was just under two-thirds of the 3,036 theater count for "Saw VI."
"Paranormal Activity" raised its total haul to $62.5 million. The low-budget movie was shot for a reported $15,000 but has become a horror sensation because of online fan buzz.
The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, the Warner Bros. tale "Where the Wild Things Are," fell to No. 3, just behind "Saw VI" with $14.4 million. Spike Jonze's adaptation of the beloved children's book by Maurice Sendak raised its total to $54 million.
Among other wide releases, Summit Entertainment's "Astro Boy" opened at No. 6 with $7 million, Universal's "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" debuted at No. 8 with $6.3 million and Fox Searchlight's "Amelia" premiered at No. 11 with $4 million.
Re: Saw VI gets destroyed at the box office
That still was just under two-thirds of the 3,036 theater count for "Saw VI.
It's over for the Saw franchise, and I bid it farewell. When a film with a limited release can destroy it on its opening week, the only direction for the franchise to go is direct to DVD.
I actually wouldn't be surprised if they just pull the plug on the franchise.
I consider this a good day for horror. The yearly rollout of these Saw films was just one of the things plaguing this genre. Glad to see people finally turning their backs on it.
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Saw VI gets destroyed at the box office
I'm hoping to see Paranormal Activity tomorrow. It has been very well hyped. The Saw franchise holds no interest for me.
Re: Saw VI gets destroyed at the box office
I only recently watched the Saw I, II & III films... and I had no interest in checking out Saw IV, V & VI. That's how much I liked them. Frankly, the only one I slightly liked was II.
Just don't care for them, and as far as i'm concerned, good riddance to bad rubbish. This obviously shows Saw is dead. They'll probably slam the breaks on Saw VII (already in production), and wait a few years to release it, and probably cancel all plans for the rumored Saw VIII-3D.
Lions Gate will probably turn their sights on trying to do Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, which they recently acquired the rights to continue on the franchise.
- Gunslinger
- Rep: 88
Re: Saw VI gets destroyed at the box office
I liked the first Saw and the second one was okay but after watching 3 & 4 I was finished with the franchise. Good to see this one go. Six movies in five years...too much.
