'Paranormal Activity 2' finds new director

'Paranormal Activity 2' has a writer, director, release date...

The worst thing that can happen to Orel Peli's surprise hit "Paranormal Activity" is a sequel, and that's exactly what Paramount Pictures is developing at the moment. The studio thinks it's a great idea because the film made so much money, but in my book, it's just another terrible Hollywood decision.

Yeah, they mess up shit all the time, so why not continue? Fact is, "Activity" is a great experiment that worked out so well, and I firmly believe the world does not need "Paranormal Activity 2." But hey, what do I know, right?

Anyway, Heat Vision reports Paramount has hired Michael R. Perry to write the sequel and Kevin Greutert to direct it. Greutert last directed "Saw VI." On top of that, it looks like the sequel will open Oct. 22, 2010. Hey! Wait! That's the same weekend "Saw VII" hits theaters!

Peli will stay on board to produce, and I sure hope he will at least have some say in this thing. In case you missed it, "Paranormal Activity" was produced on a $15,000 budget and ended up making more than $150 million worldwide. It was the biggest surprise of 2009.

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Paramount gets 'Paranormal' director's next

Paramount Pictures scored a solid deal with Oren Peli's surprise horror hit "Paranormal Activity," and the studio has now acquired the distribution rights for the filmmaker's next low-budget project, "Area 51."

"Activity" cost less than $15,000 to make, but it grossed more than $100 million in the U.S. alone. "Area 51," according to Peter Bart and Michael Fleming, cost about $5 million. Peli wrote and directed the pic.

"51" tells the story of three teenagers who experience scary things when they reach Area 51 at the Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. The film will follow the same style and structure of "Paranormal."

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'New Moon' grabs another $85M overseas

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" continued its world dominance at the box office this weekend, scoring $85.1 million on the international circuit in 56 markets. Domestically, the "Twilight" sequel grabbed $42.5 million.

Chris Weitz's film starring Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson reached $243 million overseas, compared to a domestic total of $230.6 million. It should cross the $500 million mark worldwide next week.

Following in second place was Roland Emmerich's apocalyptic adventure "2012," which grabbed another $61.7 million from ticket sales in 107 territories. The film's total gross now stands at a solid $455.8 million.

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Box Office: '2012' explodes with $65M!

Weekend of November 13 – 15, 2009: Emmerich's action flick destroys everything!

Roland Emmerich’s apocalyptic action spectacle “2012” destroyed its competition at the North American box office this weekend with a solid $65 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Sony’s “2012” opened at 3,404 locations Friday and scored an explosive average of $19,095 per theater this weekend, easily beating the $35,8 million opening gross of Emmerich’s previous film “10,000 B.C.”

Starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt and Danny Glover, the action adventure follows a group of individuals trying to survive a series of cataclysms as the world is coming to an end.

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'Christmas' reigns for Disney at the box office

Weekend of November 6 – 8, 2009: Scrooge beats goats, aliens and creepy boxes...

As expected, Walt Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” took the No. 1 spot at the North American box office this weekend with a solid $31 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Robert Zemeckis-directed 3D motion-capture adventure based on Charles Dickens’ classic tale opened at 3,683 locations and scored an average of $8,417 per theater, enough to crush its competition.

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Box Office: 'This Is It' easily wins the race

Weekend of Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2009: Michael Jackson film triumphs with $21M

Sony Pictures’ Michael Jackson documentary “This Is It” prevailed at the top of the North American box office this weekend with $21.3 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Kenny Ortega-directed film opened at 3,481 locations Wednesday, bagging $11.1 million in two days. The domestic total of “This Is It” currently stands at a solid $32.5 million.

Most of the film's footage was shot in June 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. It includes scenes drawn from hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage.

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Monday film news roundup: Ricky Gervais to host Golden Globes; 'Paranormal Activity 2'?

• Funny man Ricky Gervais will host the 67th annual Golden Globes Jan. 17. The folks at NBC suggested a host may boost the show, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association agreed. Gervais most recently starred in "The Invention of Lying." By the way, look for Globes nominees December 15.

• Ron Livingston is the latest to join Zach Galifianakis, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Lucy Punch in Jay Roach's upcoming "Dinner for Schmucks," a remake of Francis Veber's popular 1998 comedy "Le diner de cons." Livingston recently starred in "The Time Traveler's Wife." (Variety)

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'Paranormal Activity' beats 'Saw VI' Friday!

This just keeps getting better and better. Just as I expected, Paramount's surprise suspense thriller "Paranormal Activity" overpowered new entry "Saw VI" at the North American box office Friday with a superb $7.6 million in ticket sales after expanding to 1,945 locations.

Oren Peli's excellent thriller lifted its domestic total to $48 million. Meanwhile, Lionsgate's "Saw VI" opened at 3,036 locations and bagged $7 million Friday, enough for second place. The sixth installment in the series picks up where the last film ended and digs deeper into Jigsaw's past.

Things didn't go that well for this week's other new releases. Paul Weitz's "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant," about a teenager who joins a freak show and becomes a vampire, only made it to No. 7 with a daily gross of $2.2 million from ticket sales at 2,754 locations.

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Box Office: 'Wild Things' triumphs with $32M

Weekend of October 16 – 17, 2009: New releases help boost box office performance

Spike Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are” easily defeated its competition at the North American box office this weekend with a solid $32.4 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s beloved book scored a strong average of $8,693 per theater at 3,735 locations. Starring Max Records, the film follows a lonely boy who bonds with a bunch of wild creatures in his imagination.

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The 'Wild Things' rule the box office Friday

"Where the Wild Things Are" scores big while "Paranormal Activity" surprises even more!

Spike Jonze's big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak's book "Where the Wild Things Are" stormed to the top of the North American box office Friday with a solid $11.9 million in ticket sales at 3,735 locations.

The film starring Max Records as a lonely boy escaping into his imagination delivered a superb start, and I'm glad it did. It's a truly wonderful adaptation I can only recommend you see if you haven't already.

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