The quickie sequel to last October’s surprise hit "Saw" ruled the Halloween weekend box office, raking in $30.5 million from just under 3,000 screaming screens. By comparison, the original "Saw" had a first-weekend "gross" of just over $18 million a year ago, on its way to a total domestic haul of $55.2 million.
Debuting in second place is another sequel, Martin Campbell‘s family adventure "The Legend of Zorro," which made about $16.5 million from 3,500 theaters, while third place went to the Uma Thurman rom-com "Prime," which snagged $6.4 million from just under 1,900 theaters.
Fourth and fifth place went to a pair of hangers-on: Horse opera "Dreamer" roped in $6.3 million ($17.5 million overall) and "Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" munched down $4.4 million ($49.8 million overall) worth of carrots. Paramount’s Nic Cage dramedy "The Weather Man" hit the scene in poor form, tallying only $4.2 million from 1,500 theaters.
Next Friday sees the release of two new multiplex entries: Disney’s animated family comedy "Chicken Little" and Universal’s wartime drama "Jarhead."
As always, you can get a closer look at the weekend numbers by visiting the Rotten Tomatoes Box Office Page.
