Weekend Box Office: 'Devil Inside' Scares Up Record-Breaking Debut

Tough to say what's more frightening: the completely hostile reviews and word-of-mouth for 'The Demon Inside,' or the truth that the pans did not stop the brand new horror movie from the record-breaking box office debut. 'Devil' required having this area office crown by having an believed $34.5 million, about two times that which was expected, setting an archive for that greatest opening ever for that first weekend of the season. Nobody expected much in the low-budget chiller, a star-free effort opening on just 2,285 screens. However the film had a couple of things going for this: the marketing secrets of Vital -- last year's top-grossing studio and also the distributor from the similarly cheap, docu-style 'Paranormal Activity' horror franchise, which now is the owner of October -- and audiences' fondness for exorcism movies, which appear to complete especially well in The month of january, when audiences want an antidote towards the sugarplum sweetness of holiday fare. Past Januarys have experienced such related hits as 'One Skipped Call,' 'The Unborn,' and 'The Rite.' Still, not one of them did in addition to 'The Demon Inside,' which isn't just the top first-weekend debut but the third best ever opening in The month of january, capped only by fellow docu-horror movie 'Cloverfield' in 2008 ($40.a million million) and also the 'Star Wars' exclusive edition re-release in 1997 ($35.9 million). Still, it's difficult to take into account this type of huge opening for any movie so poorly received by audiences in addition to experts. (Demonic influence, possibly?) It will be interesting to determine the way the movie stands up next weekend, once the movie will not face any new wide-release competition for that horror audience, so when its only obstacle is going to be its very own negative buzz audiences gave 'The Demon Inside' a nearly unheard-of F-grade on Cinemascore. The prosperity of 'Devil' scared up crowds for other movies too, knowing because when well older movies held onto their audiences. Last week's champion, 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol,' ended up to second place but lost just 30 % of last weekend's business, a shallow drop for any movie in the 4th week of release. It gained an believed $20.5 million, for any total up to now of $170.two million. In third was 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game Title of Shadows,' another four-week veteran, which fell just 33 percent for an believed $14.a million. Its total to date is $157.4 million. The littlest dip among wide releases belonged to 'The Girl Using the Dragon Tattoo,' The thriller slid just 24 percent, consuming an believed $11.3 million, great for 4th place. Despite a sluggish start three days ago, the film has gained $76.8 million to date, and distributor The new sony thinks it's on the right track to mix $100 million. The very best family movie was still being 'Alvin and also the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,' which finished in fifth place. Its believed $9.5 million take, lower 42 percent from a week ago, brings the film's four-week total to $111.six million. Getting into wider release, 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' broke in to the top ten by growing from 57 screens to 809. It gained an believed $5.8 million, great for ninth place along with a five-week total of $10.4 million. Honours buzz for 'Tinker' and many more limited-release movies was reflected in large per-screen earnings for many year-finish challengers playing in a number of theaters. 'The Iron Lady' averaged an believed $34,420 on all of five screens. 'A Separation' gained an believed $16,103 on all of its six screens. The per-screen average of 'Extremely Noisy and extremely Close' (six screens) was an believed $16,000. 'Pina' obtained a typical believed at $27,000 for every of three screens. In comparison, 'Devil Inside' loved a per-screen average of $15,098. Already, box office for 2012 is $283.8 million, some 12.6 % in front of the same period last year. Between last weekend's busy New Year's traffic which weekend's achievements, 2012 is off and away to a roaring start. 'The Demon Inside' - Trailer No. 1 The entire top ten: 1. 'The Demon Inside,' $34.5 million (2,285 screens), era 2. 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol,' $30.5 million (3,555), $170.two million total 3. 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game Title of Shadows,' $14.a million (3,603), $157.4 million 4. 'The Girl Using the Dragon Tattoo,' $11.3 million (2,950), $76.8 million 5. 'Alvin and also the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,' $9.5 million (3,425), $111.six million 6. 'War Equine,' $8.six million (2,783), $56.8 million 7. 'We Purchased a Zoo,' $8.5 million (3,170), $56.5 million 8. 'The Adventures of Tintin,' $6.six million (3,006), $61.9 million 9. 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' $5.8 million (809), $10.4 million 10. 'New Year's Eve,' $3.3 million (1,864), $52. million [Photo: Vital] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman