WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

While Jackass 3D was expected to take the number one spot at the box office last weekend, no one predicted that it would make as much money as it did. The film scored the biggest-grossing opening weekend of all-time, for a movie released between September and October, with an amazing $50 million in its debut. But Johnny Knoxville and his pals had some new competition this weekend, with the release of the highly anticipated sequel Paranormal Activity 2 and Clint Eastwood's Hereafter starring Matt Damon, which is now open in wide release.

Debuting at number one this week is the sequel to last year's extremely popular psychological horror film, Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity 2 starring Katie Featherston. The movie made $12,904 on each of its 3,216 screens for an opening weekend total of about $41.5 million. Considering that the movie only cost about $3 million to make, the filmmakers must be extremely pleased with an opening weekend profit of about $38.5 million.

Falling one place from last week to number two is the third installment of the film adaptation of the popular MTV reality series Jackass, Jackass 3D. In the film, Johnny Knoxville (The Dukes of Hazzard) returns for punishment along with his friends Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius and Jason Acuña. While the movie dropped nearly 57.1% from last week, it was added in thirty theaters, earning $6,943 on each of its 3,111 screens for a weekend total of about $21.6 million. Now in just two weeks the movie has already made $87.1 million, surpassing its $20 million production budget and earning a profit of over $60 million.

Slipping one place from last week to number three is the new action-comedy Red. The movie is based on the graphic novel by Warren Ellis and stars an all-star cast that includes Emmy winners Bruce Willis (Live Free or Die Hard) and Mary-Louise Parker (Red Dragon), Oscar winners Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight), Helen Mirren (National Treasure: Book of Secrets), Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws) and Ernest Borgnine (Escape From New York), Oscar nominee John Malkovich (Jonah Hex), Karl Urban (Star Trek), Julian McMahon (Fantastic Four) and Brian Cox (X2: X-Men United). While the movie dropped nearly 31.1% from last week, it was added in eighteen theaters, earning $4,583 on each of its 3,273 screens for a weekend total of about $15 million. Now in just two weeks the movie has made $43 million, which is still shy of earning back its entire $58 million production budget.

Debuting in wide release and taking the number four spot, after opening in limited release last week, is the new film from Oscar winning director Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) called Hereafter. The film stars Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity), Bryce Dallas Howard (Spider-Man 3) and Jay Mohr (Go). The movie rose an incredible 5,348.8% from last week and was added in 2,175 theaters, earning $5,504 on each of its 2,181 screens for a weekend total of about $12 million. Combined with what it earned in limited release last week, the film has now made about $12.3 million in two weeks, which is no where near earning back its initial $50 million production budget.

Rounding off the top five this week and dropping two places from last week is the new film from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button director David Fincher called The Social Network. The movie, which is about the founding of Facebook stars a cast of excellent young actors that includes Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland), Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go), Rooney Mara (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Rashida Jones (I Love You, Man) and Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog). While the movie dropped nearly 29.2% from last week, it was actually added on fifty-three screens and earned $2,499 on each of its 2,921, for a weekend total of $7.3 million. Now in just under a month the movie has made $72.9 million, which earns back its entire $50 million production budget and then some.

Continuing to do well in limited release is the new drama Conviction directed by former actor Tony Goldwyn (The Last Samurai) and stars Sam Rockwell (Moon), Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby), Juliette Lewis (Old School), Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) and Peter Gallagher (American Beauty). The movie actually rose 193.1% from last week and was added in forty-four theaters, earning $5,455 on each of its 55 screens for a weekend total of about $300,000. In two weeks the movie has made $441,000, which is nowhere near earning back its entire $12.5 million production budget.

Next week will see the opening of two highly anticipated new films in wide release and two in limited release.

First up is the sequel to the 2005 horror film Alone In The Dark, which was loosely based on the Atari video game series. Alone in the Dark 2 stars Rick Yune (Die Another Day), Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Danny Trejo (Machete) and Michael Paré (Eddie and the Cruisers).

Also opening in wide release next week is the seventh and final chapter in the extremely successful horror film franchise, Saw. Saw 3D stars Tobin Bell (In the Line of Fire), Costas Mandylor (Soapdish), Betsy Russell (Chain Letter), Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day) and Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride).

Opening in limited release next week is the new British science-fiction film, Monsters, which stars Whitney Able (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) and Scoot McNairy (Bobby).

Finally, opening in limited release next week is the new independent drama, Welcome to the Rileys, which stars Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), James Gandolfini (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) and Oscar nominee Melissa Leo (Frozen River). So please check back in seven days to see who comes out on top at the box office next week!