A sensational number one launch for Insidious: Chapter 2 through FilmDistrict put the horror sequel immediately in profit for the filmmakers and established James Wan unquestionably as the preeminent commercial horror director following summer smash The Conjuring.

The $5m release delivered the second biggest September release in history behind Hotel Transylvania’s $42.5m debut in 2012. The Blumhouse Productions hit delivered producer Jason Blum’s second microbudget success of the year following the release of The Purge through Universal back in June.

Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Ty Simpkins reprise their roles as the unfortunate haunted Lambert family and Wan returns to the director’s chair. By comparison first film opened in 2011 through FilmDistrict and grossed $54m and $97m worldwide.

In a strong session that saw overall box office for the top 12 gain 37% on the previous weekend and 24% on the same session in 2012, Relativity-EuropaCorp’s crime comedy co-production The Family arrived at number two on $14.5m. Luc Besson directed Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer as parents of a Mafia family relocated to France under a witness protection programme.

Last weekend’s number one Riddick fell two places through Universal and added $7m for $31.3m. Lee Daniel’s The Butler finally crossed $100m through TWC in its fifth weekend.

SPC opened Saudi Arabia’s first foreign language Oscar submission Wadjda on $40,500 from three for a strong $13,500 per-site average.

Next weekend’s wide releases are Warner Bros’ acclaimed crime thriller Prisoners from Alcon Entertainment starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by French-Canadian Denis Villeneuve. The film premiered in Toronto recently to rave reviews.

The roster includes Sony/Screen Gems’ dance drama Battle Of The Year. Universal releases Toronto hit Rush in five theatres prior to wide expansion the following weekend.

Estimated Top 10 North America Sept 13-15 2013
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date
1 (-) Insidious: Chapter 2 (FilmDistrict) Blumhouse International $41.1m –
2 (-) The Family (Relativity) EuropaCorp $14.5m –
3 (1) Riddick (Universal) Lionsgate International $7m $31.3m
4 (2) Lee Daniel’s The Butler (TWC) WTC Int’l $5.6m $100m
5 (4) We’re The Millers (Warner Bros) WBPI $5.4m $131.6m
6 (3) Instructions Not Included (Lionsgate-Pantelion) Highland Film Group $4.3m $26.6m
7 (5) Planes (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $3.1m $82.9m
8 (6) One Direction: This Is Us (Sony-TriStar) SPRI $2.4m $26.9m
9 (7) Elysium (Sony-MRC) QED International $2.1m $88.4m
10 (8) Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters (Fox) Fox Int’l $1.8m $62m


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