Movies
OMFG #2: Lionsgate Throws Violent Blow at Paramount: ‘Saw’ vs ‘Paranormal Activity’… IT’S ON!
And you thought the Halloween II / The Final Destination battle was good…. the war between Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate has officially begun – and it’s positioning itself to be EPIC. As many of you know, Saw VI director Kevin Greutert was attached to get behind the camera for Paranormal Activity 2. Paramount furthered the attack by placing the sequel head-to-head with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ Saw VII 3D on October 22. If last year was any indication, Paranormal definitely had the upper hand in the competition, a battle that hadn’t really begun until now. Lionsgate has thrown a VIOLENT blow back at Paramount by exercising an option that has forced Greutert to head back to Toronto for the seventh Saw film instead of showing off his talents in Paranormal 2. It wasn’t his decision as he’s now officially a casualty of war. David Hackl on the other hand, he’ll be moving over to an unnamed Lionsgate project (thank God). Want more? Read on. Talk, talk, talk, talk, TALK. OMFG.
The following comes courtesy of Deadline:
“It’s a move that ratchets up the rivalry between Paramount and Lionsgate for Halloween 2010 dominance. Saw franchise partners Twisted Pictures and Lionsgate have just exercised an option and installed Saw VI director Kevin Greutert as director of Saw 3D, the seventh volume of the fright series. That blocks Paramount, which had hired Greutert to direct Paranormal Activity 2. Both films are set for release on October 22nd, and the move came after Paramount set that date. Meanwhile Twisted Pictures, which held an option on the director from back when he helmed Saw VI, bumped previously announced Saw 3D director David Hackl, who directed Saw V and who will be assigned another film quickly, sources tell me. Both directors have been involved in the Saw films from the beginning. The rivalry between the films began last fall, when Paramount’s sleeper hit Paranormal Activity bloodied Twisted/Lionsgate’s Saw VI at the box office en route to a $150 million worldwide gross on a $15,000 budget. It will be interesting to see how Paramount responds. But I like this battling a lot.”
I was a pretty big fan of Kevin Greutert’s work in the sixth Saw, which is why I’m excited to see him back for the seventh film. But in all honesty, I would have really enjoyed to see what he could have done in a completely different sub-genre with Paranormal 2. I think this is such a dick move by Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate, especially at the expense of Kevin, but this makes for some good PR.
Damned if I can’t wait to see how Paramount strikes back — if they even need to. STAY TUNED THERE IS MORE TO THIS STORY TO COME!
Movies
‘Abigail’ on Track for a Better Opening Weekend Than Universal’s Previous Two Vampire Attempts
In the wake of Leigh Whannell’s Invisible Man back in 2020, Universal has been struggling to achieve further box office success with their Universal Monsters brand. Even in the early days of the pandemic, Invisible Man scared up $144 million at the worldwide box office, while last year’s Universal Monsters: Dracula movies The Last Voyage of the Demeter and Renfield didn’t even approach that number when you COMBINE their individual box office hauls.
The horror-comedy Renfield came along first in April 2023, ending its run with just $26 million. The period piece Last Voyage of the Demeter ended its own run with a mere $21 million.
But Universal is trying again with their ballerina vampire movie Abigail this weekend, the latest bloodbath directed by the filmmakers known as Radio Silence (Ready or Not, Scream).
Unlike Demeter and Renfield, the early reviews for Abigail are incredibly strong, with our own Meagan Navarro calling the film “savagely inventive in terms of its vampiric gore,” ultimately “offering a thrill ride with sharp, pointy teeth.” Read her full review here.
That early buzz – coupled with some excellent trailers – should drive Abigail to moderate box office success, the film already scaring up $1 million in Thursday previews last night. Variety notes that Abigail is currently on track to enjoy a $12 million – $15 million opening weekend, which would smash Renfield ($8 million) and Demeter’s ($6 million) opening weekends.
Working to Abigail‘s advantage is the film’s reported $28 million production budget, making it a more affordable box office bet for Universal than the two aforementioned movies.
Stay tuned for more box office reporting in the coming days.
In Abigail, “After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.”
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