Blame “Frankenstorm,” which threatened the East Coast and kept residents in their homes and in front of their televisions for weather updates. Or point at a less-than-stellar slate of films. Either way, Ben Affleck’s Argo was able to climb to the top of a weak Top 10 in its third weekend, besting four disappointing newcomers.
Affleck’s hostage thriller stars the actor-director as a CIA negotiator setting up a fake sci-fi movie as a cover to rescue Americans trapped behind enemy lines in Iran. The film has been holding a steady audience since its opening, and has benefitted from a lack of Oscar-caliber competition. That will change in the coming weeks. But the Best Picture-hopeful Argo has done its part by banking $60.7M in domestic dollars, and adding an additional $6.7M overseas (to date).
The Halloween movies currently crowding multiplexes didn’t receive much of a holiday bump. Hotel Transylvania landed in second place on the weekend with a $9.5M tally, but the animated comedy already has banked $130.4M, meaning those who’ve wanted to see it likely have by this point.
Last week’s box-office leader, Paranormal Activity 4, meanwhile dropped an estimated 70% from its opening totals to earn $8.6M … good for a fourth-place finish. Silent Hill also got off to a slow start, nabbing $8M in its opening frame.
Warner’s experimental Cloud Atlas did OK in its opening weekend, squeezing $9.4M out of a curious crowd. Despite mixed reviews, the sprawling film posted a decent number even with its extended run time (2 hours, 52 minutes) and limited theater count (2,008).
Here’s the full Top 10 list for the weekend:
MOVIE / WEEKEND / TOTAL
1. Argo, $12.3M, $60.7M
2. Hotel Transylvania, $9.5M, $130.4M
3. Cloud Atlas, $9.4M
4. Paranormal Activity 4, $8.6M, $42.6M
5. Taken 2, $8M, $117.3M
6. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, $8M
7. Here Comes the Boom, $5.5M, $30.6M
8. Sinister, $5M, $39.5M
9. Alex Cross, $5M, $19.3M
Follow along on Twitter @Sean_OConnell and @Fandango.
