‘Paranormal Activity: Marked Ones’ grosses $1.2 million Thursday
Paramount Pictures’ “Paranormal Activity†spinoff, the only new wide-release movie at theaters this weekend, generated $1.2 million in ticket sales in late-night shows on Thursday as it entered a marketplace crowded with popular films.
The R-rated “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones†played in 1,600 theaters Thursday night for a decent start for the offshoot to the lucrative found-footage fright-fest series. For comparison, Paramount’s micro-budget horror film “The Devil Inside†took in about $2 million from late showings when it debuted the same weekend in 2012 and went on to gross $33.7 million through that Sunday.
Snowstorms on the East Coast may have kept some moviegoers at home, especially in major cities such as New York and Boston.
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“The Marked Ones†will run in 2,800 locations in the U.S. and Canada this weekend as it tries to scare off “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug†and “Frozen†for the top of the box office rankings. The studio is projecting a gross of roughly $15 million through Sunday, though earlier analyst estimates were higher. “The Marked Ones†cost about $5 million to make, essentially the same as the last two “Paranormal Activity†movies.
Not a sequel to 2012’s “Paranormal Activity 4,†“The Marked Ones†features a mostly Latino cast and is set in the barrios of Oxnard, Calif. “Paranormal Activity 5†is scheduled for release in October.
“The Marked Ones,†about a young Latino who is pegged for demonic possession, has received generally lukewarm reactions from the few critics who have reviewed it -- it has earned a 55% “fresh†rating from Rotten Tomatoes, counting 31 writeups.
The film is competing with a slate that includes “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,†Martin Scorsese‘s “The Wolf of Wall Street,†David O. Russell‘s con-artist flick “American Hustle,†Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks†and 20th Century Fox‘s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.â€
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