Paranormal Activity 2 celebrates highest ever weekend debut for horror film

An indie blockbuster considered last year to be lightning in a bottle has evolved into the most successful horror franchise of the moment.

This weekend's estimated $41.5 million debut for "Paranormal Activity 2," the highest ever for a horror film not accounting for ticket price inflation, immediately makes it a viable series for Paramount Pictures. The studio may now come out with annual installments, as Lionsgate has done for the last six years with its low-budget horror phenomenon, "Saw."

The hugely successful debut of "Paranormal 2" overshadowed a soft start for the new Clint Eastwood directed life-after-death drama "Hereafter," which took in $12 million during its first weeked in nationwide release, Los Angeles Times reports.

With Paranormal, Paramount Pictures celebrates its second movie starting at the Number One spot. The horror flick just in time for the approaching Halloween grabbed the spotlight from Jackass 3D which has now landed on the 2nd spot with a total of $21.6 million; literally half of Paranormal's sales.

The thriller is directed by Tod Williams, Seer Press reports.