'Paranormal' continues to scare in fifth Friday

'Saw VI' takes second with $7 million

By ANTHONY D'ALESSANDRO

'Saw VI' bested the $6.7 million opening day of the 2004 'Saw.'

Paramount’s wide expansion of its cult horror title "Paranormal Activity" took the top spot at the box office Friday with $7.6 million, however, the pic didn’t entirely scare away Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ "Saw VI" which notched second with $7 million.

In its fifth Friday, "Paranormal" continued to have a strong appeal among auds, evident in its ability to generate a similar amount of dough at 36% fewer locales than "Saw VI." "Paranormal" generated a per site of $3,907 at 1,945 sites, while "Saw VI" bled $2,305 at 3,036. Last weekend, "Paranormal" was in play at 763 venues. The low-budget horror pic's current estimated domestic take is $48.1 million.

Bowing in the late October frame as its previous chapters, "Saw VI’ fell short of the double-digit opening numbers of installments two through five; its last three posting an opening day north of $14 million. Nonetheless, "Saw VI" did outperform its original 2004 edition which made $6.7 million on its first Friday. That pic’s final weekend take was $18.3 million.

To date, the first five "Saw" titles have collected close to $350 million at the domestic B.O.

Warner Bros.’ adaptation of the moppet classic "Where the Wild Things Are" fell 64% in its second Friday to third with $4.4 million off 3,735, bringing its total B.O. to $43.9 million.

Also in its second Friday, Overture Films’ "Law Abiding Citizen" took fourth with $4.1 million, repping a 47% decline off 2,890 for a running eight-day cume of $31.7 million.

In its third Friday, Universal’s comedy "Couples Retreat" pulled in ahead of two other wide openers yesterday with $3.7 million, down 37% off 3,074 and a running domestic cume of $70.8 million.

Universal and Relativity’s "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant" directed by Paul Weitz of "American Pie" bowed in seventh with an estimated $2.2 million off 2,754.

Summit Entertainment and Imagi Studios’ action-sci-fi toon "Astro Boy" followed in eighth with $1.8 million off 3,014.

Fox Searchlight’s "Amelia" drew approximately $1.3 million outside the day’s top 10 from 818, posting a per site of $1,595.

Among limited fare, IFC’s horror drama "Antichrist" from Lars von Trier generated a per theater average of $4,595 or $28,000 at six engagements.