Friday Box Office – THE POSSESSION Holds with $2.8 Million on Dismal First Friday of Fall

And you thought last weekend was weak. With Friday estimates in, it appears that no film will reach $10 million by Sunday – a box office calamity that has not been equaled since Bangkok Dangerous debuted at number one with just $7.7 million in September 2008.  Unfortunately, this weekend’s new releases will fall short of even that sorry benchmark; leaving Lionsgate’s The Possession to hold down the top spot for a second week with a projected $9.3 million. CBS Films’ The Words, with Bradley Cooper, was third on Friday with an estimated $1.6 million from 2,801 locations. That’s a landslide compared to fellow newcomer The Cold Light of Day. With just $637,00 from 1,511 runs, the action/thriller failed to break Friday’s top ten altogether. Also outside the top ten (but with nothing to be ashamed of), was Raiders of the Lost Ark. Returning for a limited release in 267 IMAX theatres, the 1981 classic took in another $438,000 on Friday to bring its lifetime domestic total above $245 million.  Full details and analysis tomorrow.