Michael Jackson’s This Is It was the top film in ticket sales in US and Canadian theaters over the weekend, bringing in US$21.3 million for distributor Sony Corp.
The previous week’s No. 1 film, Paranormal Activity from Viacom Inc’s Paramount Pictures, fell to second place with US$16.5 million, researcher Hollywood.com Box-Office said yesterday in an e- mailed statement.
“Michael Jackson’s This Is It follows the final days of the singer’s life, and is Sony’s seventh first-place debut this year. The company ranks third among the six major studios in US ticket sales this year with US$1.13 billion as of Oct. 29, said Sherman Oaks, California-based Box Office Mojo, which also tracks receipts.
“It was expected to be the top-grossing film,” said Brandon Gray, editor at Box Office Mojo. “It probably didn’t match the hype surrounding it. It’s still a very good opening for that type of a picture. The norm is for those films to do very little business.”
The movie, directed by Kenny Ortega, includes interviews, rehearsal and backstage footage of Jackson preparing for his planned 50 concerts in London’s O2 Arena before his death in June. The film opened on Wednesday with US$20.1 million in sales worldwide and was scheduled for a limited two-week theatrical run.
“Next weekend is the start of the holiday season,” Gray said. “A Christmas Carol is the biggest movie opening next weekend. It’s a good time for a Christmas movie. It would be surprising if A Christmas Carol wasn’t No. 1. This Is It should see a significant drop off,” he said.
Paranormal Activity, the low-budget horror film, has brought in US$84.8 million since its release. The movie, which has benefited from a Web-based marketing campaign, spent last month working its way up the weekly movie ranking, eventually finishing at No. 1 the other week after expanding to 1,945 theaters from 760 the prior period. Paranormal Activity tells the story of a couple whose suburban home is haunted by a demonic presence.
“Paranormal has continued to do very well,” Gray said. “A modest drop was expected. That picture is having an exceptional run. It’s peaked at the box office.”
Law Abiding Citizen, distributed by Overture Films, came in third with US$7.3 million. The movie stars Gerard Butler as a man who takes revenge on his family’s killers, as well as the criminal justice system.
Vince Vaughn’s and Jon Favreau’s comedy Couples Retreat, was fourth with receipts of US$6.1 million for General Electric Co’s Universal Pictures. Saw VI, an R-rated horror sequel, came in fifth with US$5.6 million for Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. The film follows a serial killer named Jigsaw who kidnaps victims and makes them solve intricate traps to try to survive.
Sales for the top 12 films rose 7.3 percent to US$79.4 million from a year earlier, Los Angeles-based Hollywood.com said. Year-to-date receipts total US$8.57 billion, up 7.7 percent from a year ago. Attendance is up 3.7 percent this year.
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