website tracking
Search The Big Picture

« Universal Pays Up for Faking 'Fourth Kind' Stories | Main | Blatty, Friedkin Reuniting for 'Exorcist' Mini-Series? »
Friday
13Nov2009

'Paranormal Activity' Scares Up $100 Million

DateFriday, November 13, 2009 at 6:51PM
It was a foregone conclusion that took a little longer than expected to conclude, but Paranormal Activity has now grossed $100 million in the US, with more damage yet to be done overseas. The low, low budget horror flick was the number one movie a while back, and it is already the most profitable film ever made, when you consider the $15,000 production costs and the revenue it has generated.

“What is truly amazing about Paranormal Activity is the depth of commitment from fans who demanded to see it,” said Paramount Pictures Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brad Grey. “Adam Goodman, our head of production, believed in the film and championed it from the very first screening. This box-office milestone is also a testament to Oren Peli’s considerable talents as a filmmaker."

"All of us at Paramount are proud to have been involved with his revolutionary project.”

It's easy to draw an immediate comparison to The Blair Witch Project, because of the genre, because of the filmmaking style, because of the low budgets. But there was a lot more build-up for that film in 1999, from what was really the internet's first viral movie marketing campaign to specials produced in conjunction with the film that aired on Sci-Fi, to a broader advertising reach in general. Even though Paranormal earned $20 million on back-to-back weekends, it never had a full-time marketing push (billboards, national radio and television); primarily, it moved tickets through word-of-mouth.

The film is also moving up the all-time list for supernatural thrillers, passing The Others this week to land in fifth place. It's entirely likely that it was surpass The Grudge in the next couple weeks, finishing its run behind The Ring for third place overall. Blair Witch is second on that list.

As I mentioned, there's still more money to make overseas, and unlike a lot of studio products, Paramount does not own the international distribution rights. So, while a major could reduce its push in selected markets around the world because of what it's done in the US or because the suits decide to shift focus from one market to another, individual distributors will exploit Paranormal for all it's worth, so it should at least earn another $50 million internationally.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment1 Comment |

Reader Comments (1)

Another movie that is coming out that offers a clean alternative is ‘’Paranormal.’’ Below is some additional information about this new thriller!!

Paranormal, the latest supernatural thriller from Cross Shadow Productions, (the
creators of the Dove.org approved, best-selling BMG releases: Pray and Pray 2:
The Woods) will be available in stores nationwide January 26th 2010. The 2009 Mrs. America is starring in it.

See more information and trailers at:
www.ParanormalTheMovie.com

Following the success of family-friendly suspense/thriller The Exorcism of Emily
Rose (Sony Pictures), comes a riveting supernatural thriller in the vein of the hit
SyFy television series, Ghost Hunters and Frank Peretti's House (Roadside
Attractions / Lionsgate).

Paranormal follows best-selling, self-made novelist Greg Evans struggling through the worst case of writer's block in his award-winning career. In a desperate search for
inspiration, Greg quickly finds himself immersed in a world he is not prepared to face.
Turning to a group of paranormal investigators, Greg and the ghost hunting team search for proof and answers, yet are unaware they are about to have an experience of a
lifetime! None will leave the way they came. Paranormal will peel back the supernatural curtain to reveal how The TRUTH will EXPOSE the darkness!

Saturday, November 14, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJen

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>