I will be doing my full Friday estimate article late tonight or tomorrow morning, but for right now Paramount’s Paranormal Activity 3 is off to an impressive, franchise best start with $8 million from midnight showings last night. This bests Paranormal Activity 2‘s $6.3 million and gives the film a much better chance of surpassing the previous sequel’s $40.6 million opening.
The Hollywood Reporter points out that not only is this a better return than Paranormal Activity 2, this is the second best midnight opening for an R-rated movie behind The Hangover Part II‘s $10.4 million opening.
The site also reports it’s doing quite well internationally making “$521,000 in France on Thursday, 13 pecent of Paranormal 2. In Russia, the $550,000 opening was 45 percent higher than the sequel, while Australia turned in $516,000, 14 percent ahead.”
The budget on the film had also been a question mark as the first Paranormal Activity cost only $15,000 to produce and went on to make $193.4 million worldwide, the second film cost a reported $3 million to produce and grossed $177.5 million worldwide and The Hollywood Reporter pegs the budget for Paranormal Activity 3 at $5 million. To think the third film made as much money in midnight screenings as it cost to make all three of them is simply amazing.
If you haven’t yet read my review, over there and leave your thoughts. I would love to read your opinions.
