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Posted on Mon, Nov. 02, 2009

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Michael Jackson thrills at box office

BY DAVID GERMAIN

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES —"Michael Jackson's This Is It" pulled in $101 million worldwide in its first five days, and distributor Sony is extending the farewell performance film beyond its planned two-week run.

The film was the No. 1 Halloween thriller domestically with a $21.3 million opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Paramount's low-budget horror sensation "Paranormal Activity," slipped to No. 2 with $16.5 million, lifting its total to $84.8 million.

"This Is It" raised its domestic total to $32.5 million. The movie pulled in $68.5 million overseas, including $10.4 million in Japan, $6.3 million in Germany, $5.8 million in France and $3.2 million in China.

In Great Britain, where Jackson had planned a marathon series of 50 London concerts starting last July, the movie earned $7.6 million.

"This Is It" captures Jackson in behind-the-scenes performances in the weeks before his death last June, as he rehearsed his biggest hits for the London shows.

"This Is It" originally was scheduled for a theatrical run of only two weeks. The studio has extended it a few more weeks domestically, leaving it in theaters through Thanksgiving weekend, one of the year's busiest moviegoing times.

The studio paid $60 million for film rights to Jackson's rehearsal footage, an investment the movie recouped in days.

Sony hopes for a longer shelf life for "This Is It," which drew older crowds that catch movies on their own schedule, with less regard for the opening-weekend frenzy. Fans older than 25 accounted for 62 percent of the audience, according to Sony.

While "Paranormal Activity" led Halloween's scary movies, an established horror franchise lost its fear factor as Lionsgate's "Saw VI" fell sharply in its second weekend after an anemic debut.

"Saw VI" came in at No. 5 this weekend with $5.6 million, raising its total to just $22.8 million after 10 days. Previous sequels in the serial-killer series all had topped $30 million during opening weekend alone.

Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com; final figures will be released today:

1. "Michael Jackson's This Is It," $21.3 million

2. "Paranormal Activity," $16.5 million

3. "Law Abiding Citizen," $7.3 million

4. "Couples Retreat," $6.1 million

5. "Saw VI," $5.6 million

6. "Where the Wild Things Are," $5.1 million

7. "The Stepfather," $3.4 million

8. "Astro Boy," $3.04 million

9. "Amelia," $3 million

10. "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant," $2.8 million