Frightful First-Place Finish For 'Paranormal Activity 3'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It was the biggest horror opening of all time.

The horror-thriller sequel, Paranormal Activity 3, ran away to a first-place finish, grossing an estimated $54-million, far beyond expectations, on its debut weekend.

Holdovers Real Steel and Footloose, which battled it out for the box-office crown last weekend, took the second and third slots, respectively, earning just over and just under $11-million.

Fourth place went to another debuting attraction, a remake of The Three Musketeers, which took in $9-million.

The weekend's third new mainstream title, another sequel, Johnny English Reborn, the comedy starring Rowan Atkinson, totaled just under $4-million, good for an eighth-place debut.

But the movie story of the weekend was Paranormal Activity 3, the success of which virtually assures the eventual production of Paranormal Activity 4.

Reported by Bill Wine, KYW Newsradio 1060