‘Saw VI’ Taken Down by Low-Budget ‘Paranormal Activity’

2009 marks the sixth year that audiences are invited to the scarefest that is the imagining of the undertakings of the Jigsaw killer, “Saw.” As a rule, the film opens strong each year around Halloween time and then slowly slips down the box-office chart to become a cult classic, kept alive by a very strong and loyal fanbase. This year, though, things might be somewhat different, as there is another player on the scene and it’s taking no prisoners, “Paranormal Activity,” The Hollywood Insider says.

“Activity” has been making the festival circuit for many months now, already enjoying a lot of support from the fans. It also comes with the wow factor, in that it’s new to the scene and takes faux-reality shooting to a new degree, making it even scarier than the movie that literally made history with this particular genre, “Blair Witch Project.” “Saw,” on the other hand, has been around for so long that it can’t possibly appeal to new audiences anymore, a piece in the aforementioned publication reads.

Of course, that’s not to say that “Saw” will be an epic fail because that can’t possibly happen. What it does mean, though, is that chances are it will open on a smaller scale than in previous years, perhaps under the $30-million mark. “Every year, the movie opens in first place to figures north of $30 million. This year that could all change, as the on-demand horror phenomenon ‘Paranormal Activity’ might usurp some of ‘Saw’’s momentum. While it’s unlikely the low-budget upstart will win the weekend, it’s very possible it could push ‘Saw’’s gross down into the $20 million range. Because really, are there enough horror fans out there to sustain two scarefests?” THI asks.

It also offers the answer: probably not. Fans of this type of film already seem to incline towards the cheaper, therefore more realistic “Paranormal Activity,” having already grown tired of the obvious and looking for good scares in that which cannot be seen, such as is the case with this particular horror. Given such a strong competitor, “Saw VI” will probably open with $28 million in grossing, at best.

“The last two installments of Saw have opened to less coin than the third one, which scored a record opening for the series back in 2006 with $33 million. Sure, Jigsaw is still averaging an impressive $28.6 million opening, which is about where this sixth one should open, but let’s be clear, ‘Saw’ isn’t exactly generating interest from new fans who have discovered the father of all torture […] movies. Besides, with a shiny new thing like ‘Paranormal Activity’ to distract moviegoers, ‘Saw’ may be looking a little more dusty than Lionsgate intended it to be. The studio is already counting on a Saw ‘VII’ next year in 3-D.” THI explains.