Execs at Paramount are celebrating today as they officially snagged the number one spot for the studio which made the most money in worldwide box office sales in 2011. Helping them achieve this honor were several sci-fi and fantasy films.
Paramount earned a record $5.17 billion worldwide beating Warner Bros. (who usually earns this coveted title) by over $100 million. In a press release, Paramount Pictures Chairman and CEO Brad Grey states, “This achievement reflects the combined efforts of our entire team across the globe and the careful process by which we select the projects and partners we believe in.”
One of the major factors of Paramount’s success was the performance of ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ which was the first movie for Paramount to earn $1 billion in worldwide gross box office receipts. Also out performing at the box office and helping Paramount reach their $5.17 billion earnings were ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ ($201 million worldwide), ‘Super 8’($259 million worldwide), ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ ($366 million worldwide), ‘Thor’ ($446 million worldwide) and ‘Hugo’ ($50.2 million domestically).
The press release also stated some of the studio’s upcoming projects like ‘World War Z’, ‘G.I. Joe:Retaliation’ and the announcement of “a new chapter in the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise.”
While it should be no surprise that Paramount would make another ‘Paranormal Activity’, this was the first time the studio has officially mentioned anything in development. No mention, however, as to whether or not Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman will return to film this sequel. But as you know we’ll let you know as soon as we do!
