'PARANORMAL' UPSETS 'SAW VI' WITH $22M NUMBER 1; 'UP' STILL DOMINATES OVERSEAS (HWD, SCR)

By Paul Dergarabedian & Wiretap Staff

A very "Paranormal" weekend at the box-office as Lionsgate's "Saw VI" discovered there was a new sheriff in town. The first five "Saw" films had an average opening weekend gross of $29.1 million, but that's when there was virtually zero competition in the marketplace.

This year with a franchise low debut of $14.8 million, it was painfully obvious that moviegoers chose the new guard over the old in the world of horror and "Paranormal Activity" found itself at number one with $22 million in a major upset.

Furthermore, this ascent to number one happened in its fifth weekend of release, a feat rarely seen in the box-office world. With Halloween just a week away, look for "Paranormal" to score another huge weekend.

At number three is Warner Bros. "Where the Wild Things Are," with $14.42 million in its second weekend of release. After debuting at number one last weekend, "Wild" dropped 56% and its total domestic take is closing in on $55 million.

Number four belongs to Overture Films' "Law Abiding Citizen" with $12.7 million and a small second weekend drop of 40%. The film now has a solid domestic cumulative of $40.3 million.

Rounding out the top five, Universal's "Couples Retreat" earned another $11.1 million in its third weekend of release as it approaches $80 million.

Opening outside of the Top 5 were Summit's "Astro Boy" and Universal's "Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant." With $7 million, "Astro" landed at number six, but should have a solid run on home video.

"Cirque Du Freak" debuted at number eight with $6.3 million while Sony's "The Stepfather" held well enough to grab seventh with a small (especially for a horror film) drop of 44% and a weekend gross of $6.5 million.

Internationally, Disney/Pixar's "Up" dominated the Hollywood competition for the third straight weekend thanks to an estimated $19 million haul from 4,789 screens in 26 territories that propelled the running total to $324.2 million, according to Screen.

The highlight from the other studios was Sony's romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth," which crossed $100 million just in time before Sony unleashes the Michael Jackson tribute film "This Is It" in 108 territories next weekend.

Back in the US, the newcomers found a very competitive and crowded marketplace made it easy to be overshadowed. For everybody else it had to feel very surreal and "Paranormal" as the uncertainty and unpredictability of the Fall Movie Season continues.

Though a down weekend vs. last year, when "High School Musical 3" opened with $42 million and "Saw V" earned a whopping $30 million, this was still one of the most interesting box-office weekends of the year.