Sub-zero temperatures and snowy conditions may hamper the box office this weekend in much of the U.S., but “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” still drew big crowds on Friday.
The latest found footage film scared up a strong $8.7 million, and will likely earn $19 million for the weekend, although the bad weather in several major cities in the Northeast and upper Midwest may curtail ticket sales.
“Marked Ones” will have a tough time topping the franchise’s previous installment. Last year’s “Paranormal Activity 4” grabbed $15.1 million on its opening day and $29 million in its first weekend.
However, “The Marked Ones” reportedly cost just $5 million to produce, so it will have no problem turning a profit by Monday.
But it’s last week’s No. 1 film, Disney’s animated “Frozen,” that may end up winning the weekend once again. It took in $6.7 million on Friday, and is aiming to earn $23 million or so for the three-day frame, boosted by family attendance on Saturday.
With a current domestic total of $283.9 million, “Frozen” will cross the magic $300 mark in the next few days.
“The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” also continues to hold strong, placing third on Friday with $5.1 million. Its domestic take so far stands at $218.5 million.
Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” barely beat out David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” for fourth place.
The former picked up $4.3 million, bringing its North American total to $53 million, while “Hustle” took in $4.1 million for a domestic total of $79.6 million.
Look for continuing box office updates throughout the weekend on HitFix.