David Fincher's adaptation of Gillian Flynn's popular novel takes first place with $38 million, while the prequel to ‘The Conjuring’ is a very close second with $37.2 million.
David Fincher’s ‘Gone Girl’ (20th Century Fox)
New Line’s mirco-budgeted horror spinoff Annabelle followed closely behind in second place, bringing in $37.2 million from 3,185 theaters, and cementing a new franchise. A prequel to box-office hit The Conjuring, Annabelle, directed by John R. Leonetti and starring Alfre Woodard, Annabelle Wallis and Ward Horton, cost just $6.5 million to make. Internationally, the movie made $20 million from 24 markets for an early foreign total of $23 million and global tally of $60.2 million.
Both movies provided a needed boost for the North American box office following the worst September in six years, with overall weekend revenue up 3 percent. The top 12 films earned a $141.8 million this weekend, up 23 percent from the same weekend last year.
Among holdovers, Denzel Washington's The Equalizer came in third place, taking in $18 million over its sophomore weekend for a domestic total of $64.5 million. Overseas, the $55 million action thriller from Sony, Village Roadshow Pictures and LStar Capital took in $19 million from 70 markets for a foreign total of $39.6 million and worldwide cume of $104.1 million.
LAIKA’s newest 3D animated family film, The Boxtrolls, came in fourth place at the North American box office, earning an additional $12.4 million for a domestic total of $32.5 million. The stop motion feature earned another $6 million internationally for a foreign total of $26 million and global total of $90.5 million.
Twentieth Century Fox’s The Maze Runner rounded up the top five over its third weekend at the North American box office, taking in $12 million for a domestic total of $73.9 million. Worldwide, the YA film adaptation neared the $200 million mark, grossing $16.5 million overseas for a foreign total of $119.1 million and global haul of $193 million.
The weekend's other new nationwide offering, Nicolas Cage's faith-based thriller Left Behind, placed number six for the weekend with $6.9 million from 1,825 locations. Freestyle is distributing the independently financed film.
Shawn Levy's adult dramedy, This Is Where I Leave You, came in seventh place in its third weekend at the domestic box office, taking in $4 million for a total $29 million.
Warner Bros. release Dolphin Tale 2 took the number eight spot in its fourth weekend out with $3.5 million for a domestic total of $38 million.
In ninth place, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy made $3 million for Disney and Marvel for a domestic total of $323.4 million. Overseas, the tentpole feature has made $330.4 to date for a worldwide total of $653.8 million.
Rounding out the list at number 10, Sony and Screen Gems' Idris Elba thriller No Good Deed brought in $2.5 million for a domestic total of $ 50.2 million.
Overseas, Legendary Pictures' Dracula Untold opened in 25 territories a week ahead of its domestic launch, grossing $21 million, led by Mexico with $5 million.
Also of note, Bollywood's Knight & Day remake, titled Bang Bang, opened in 12th place with $1.22 million, the biggest opening of the year for a Bollywood production.
Box office numbers were obtained on boxofficemojo.com.
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
