Box Office, Paramount Pictures | featured news

Distributed by Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, "Paranormal Activity 4" took in $30.2 million in its first weekend in theaters in North America, a significant drop from the opening haul of the third film in the franchise, which earned $52.6 million.

The latest "Transformers" sequel might set some revenue records over Fourth of July weekend. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" has $97.5 million in the bank at the domestic box office since opening Tuesday night. Distributor Paramount estimated Saturday that the movie could top the holiday weekend records held by "Spider-Man 2" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 opened to a better-than-expected $37 million at the domestic box office after an aggressive 11th hour marketing blitz by Paramount. Including paid previews on Thursday, the period sci-fi pic has earned $38 million in its first four days.

The second big-budget studio release of the summer grossed a solid $66 million, according to an estimate from distributor Paramount Pictures. The 3-D film about a Norse god destroyed the two other films in wide release this weekend, which were both romantic comedies about marriage. "Jumping the Broom," about two families from different backgrounds converging at a wedding, collected a decent $13.7 million. "Something Borrowed," which had a bigger budget and is based on Emily Giffin's bestselling novel of the same name, had a soft $13.2-million take.

Paramount and DreamWorks Animation had a kick-ass weekend of their own at the domestic B.O., with 3D toon "How to Train Your Dragon" posting an estimated $20 million at 3,825 locations, enough to claim the top spot in its fourth frame. With help from higher 3D ticket prices, the toon holdover edged out Lionsgate's superhero actioner "Kick-Ass," which debuted with $19.8 million at 3,065 engagements.

“Shutter Island,” yanked from the fall release schedule by a cost-cutting Paramount Pictures, was a strong No. 1 at the North American box office.

Paramount's delay of Shutter Island's release, once widely questioned, now looks shrewdly strategic. Sources tell me this 4th film collaboration between Marty Scorsese and Leo DiCaprio is shaping up tonight as the highest-grossing debut ever, bigger than 2002's Gangs Of New York, 2004's The Aviator, and 2006's The Departed (which posted their previous biggest opening ever of $26.8M).

The big story this weekend is the pre-Halloween box office -- the horror, the horror of it all -- and how Saw VI, which has been a disgusting but reliably performing franchise over the years for Lionsgate, was decimated Friday by Paranormal Activity -- despite the Paramount phenom playing in 1,100+ less theaters during its 5th week of release.

FRIDAY PM UPDATE: With a big pricetag of $175 million, and bad buzz preceding it, G.I. Joe seemed certain to tank. For months, Paramount's claims that the movie worked fell on deaf ears. Not until the Stephen Sommers' directed pic came on tracking with incredibly high awareness among males (with scores in the 90s).

Paramount Pictures had estimated that the movie would make about $50 million for the weekend, but figured that strong reviews helped carry it to the bigger opening.