NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

‘Paranormal’ follow-up is first at theaters

LOS ANGELES

Fear has taken hold at the box office with a $41.5 million debut for scary movie “Paranormal Activity 2,” according to studio estimates Sunday.

Paramount Pictures’ follow-up to last year’s micro-budgeted hit “Paranormal Activity” got a jump on Halloween as fans packed theaters for another documentary-style thriller about a household plagued by a menacing spirit.

“Paranormal Activity 2” did nearly half its business on Friday, following the pattern of many fright-flick franchises, which often draw big crowds on opening day then drop off sharply. The movie took in $20.1 million Friday, with receipts falling to $13 million Saturday and $8.4 million Sunday.

Paramount also had the No. 2 movie with the stunt comedy “Jackass 3D,” which opened in first place the previous weekend. “Jackass 3D” pulled in $21.6 million, down sharply from its $50 million opening.

But the movie raised its 10-day total to $87.1 million, more than either of the earlier two “Jackass” movies took in during their entire runs.

Summit Entertainment’s action comedy “Red” held up well from its No. 2 debut a weekend earlier, slipping to third with $15 million and lifting its 10-day total to $43.5 million.

Baby girl for Damons

NEW YORK

It’s another girl for Matt Damon and his wife.

Damon’s spokeswoman Jennifer Allen says Luciana Damon gave birth to Stella Zavala Damon on Wednesday in New York City. She is the couple’s third daughter. She joins Gia, born in 2008, and Isabella, born in 2006. Luciana Damon also has a daughter, Alexa, from a previous marriage.

Damon met his wife in 2003 in Florida when he was filming “Stuck on You.” They married in December 2005 in New York.

Associated Press