Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

The creepy, low-budget Paranormal Activity took a leap into the Top 5 this weekend as it claimed the Number 4 slot with $7.9 million in receipts. With a budget of only around $11 thousand (yes, I meant to write thousand) and total revenue of almost $10 million so far, this one has become the Blair Witch Project of the current decade (and you can go to the movie’s official site to request showings in your area).  Zombieland dropped to the Number 2 slot in its second week of release but still did brisk business as it added another $14.8 million to its domestic tally. With close to $50 million in total receipts vs. a $23.6 million, this sequel-ready movie is almost certainly gearing up for its second installment already. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs slipped to the Number 3 slot in its fourth week of release as that animated movie approaches $100 million in domestic receipts.  Rounding out the Top 5 was the Toy Story 3-D double feature which pulled in an additional $7.8 million in its second weekend.

Surrogates continues to sink as it dropped to the Number 6 slot and looks like it will not even come close to meeting its $80 million budget. Ricky Gervais’ The Invention of Lying dipped down to the Number 7 slot in its second weekend of release. And two movies on their way out of the Top 20 are Pandorum and G.I. Joe. The former looks certain to seal up its status as a Box Office flop as it has only amassed less than $10 million through three weeks against a $40 million budget. The latter (which actually jumped back into the Top 20 this weekend), did not do as well domestically as expected ($149 million vs. a $175 million budget), but it pulled the same number in receipts internationally so it ended up in the black.

Following are the results for all of the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror movies in the Top 20 for the weekend of October 9 -11:

Title / Box Office Rank (Rank Prior Week) / Weekend Draw (Total)
2) Zombieland – Prior Wk: 1, Draw (Total): $14.8 MM ($47.6 MM)
3) Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – Prior Wk: 2, Draw (Total): $11.53 MM ($95.78 MM)
4) Paranormal Activity – Prior Wk: 20, Draw (Total): $7.9 MM ($9.11 MM)
5) Toy Story / Toy Story 2 (3D) – Prior Wk: 3, Draw (Total): $7.77 MM ($22.77 MM)
6) Surrogates – Prior Wk: 4, Draw (Total): $4.27 MM ($32.73 MM)
7) The Invention of Lying – Prior Wk: 5, Draw (Total): $3.34 MM ($12.3 MM)
16) 9 – Prior Wk: 14, Draw (Total): $.83 MM ($30.66 MM)
17) Pandorum – Prior Wk: 12, Draw (Total): $.82 MM ($9.52 MM)
18) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – Prior Wk: 21, Draw (Total): $.69 MM ($148.97 MM)

Source: Box Office Mojo

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