Box Office: It Was a ‘Wild Thing’ Weekend

The October box office is heating up. Thanks to two new hot releases and a horror movie that is burning up the charts the Hollywood box office is seeing dollar signs. The number one movie this weekend belonged to director Spike Jonze’s adaptation of the children’s book Where the Wild Things Are. Pulling in $32.6 million, Wild Things also received a strong 68% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Wild Things easily won the weekend box office crown. Surprisingly, the number two spot went to the Jaimee Fox, Gerard Butler action drama flick Law Abiding Citizen. Popular among movie goers, Citizen grossed $21 million Friday-Sunday. Continue reading for a full recap of the weekend box office.

The other new wide release this weekend was the horro remake The Stepfather (#5) which made $11.5 million opening weekend. The film starring Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley didn’t too bad seeing as it had to compete with Paranormal Activity, the horror movie that everyone is checking out.

Speaking of Paranormal Activity, it increaaed it’s screen count this weekend even more, which resulted in a $19 million weekend. So far the horror movie which was made for around $11,000 has pulled in a staggering $33 million. Not too bad seeing as this movie is just gaining steam and should do very well with the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Last weeks number one film Couples Retreat fell to a fourth place finish with another $17 million in ticket sales. The ensemble comedy written by stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau has grossed $70 million in its first two weeks of release.

Overall the weekend box office was up from the same weekend last year when Mark Whalberg’s Max Payne topped the box office. Next weekend sees the return of Saw with the sixth film in the popular franchise.