Weekend Box Office: “Taken 2″ succeeds; “Frankenweenie” shrivels

Taken 2 takes in twice as much ransom cash as the original kidnapping thriller (AKA ‘every dad’s worst nightmare’)—$50 million vs. $24 million.

The other new entry this weekend—Frankenweenie—which featured a little boy and his doggie, didn’t seem to ignite the same box office FIRE. Although the Tim Burton claymation got mad respect yo by the critics, it took in just $11 million and a weak 5th place finish. (In comparison, Burton’s last Halloween-ish claymation—The Corpse Bride—opened wide with $19 million in 2005.)

Pitch Perfect sang its way into third place after expanding to wide release and Hotel Transylvania dug its fangs in; holding on strong in its second weekend—only dropping 38%.

Below are the Top 5 box office performers this weekend:

1-  Take 2* took $50 million in its first weekend out.

2-  Hotel Transylvania bit into another $26 million (bringing its 2-week total up to $76 million.)

3-  Pitch Perfect sang to the box office tune of $14.7 million ($21.6 million total in its first 2-weeks).

4-  Looper earned $12 million this weekend ($40 million total during its first 2-weekends out).

5-  Frankenweenie* bring to life $11.5 million in its debut weekend.