'Paranormal 2' scares up $41.5 million

LOS ANGELES - Fear has taken hold at the box office with a $41.5 million debut for scary movie "Paranormal Activity 2," according to studio estimates Sunday. Paramount Pictures' follow-up to last year's micro-budgeted hit "Paranormal Activity" got a jump on Halloween as fans packed theaters for another documentary-style thriller about a household plagued by a menacing spirit.

"Paranormal Activity 2" did nearly half its business on Friday, following the pattern of many fright-flick franchises.

The top 10 releases:

1. "Paranormal Activity 2," $41.5 million

2. "Jackass 3D," $21.6 million

3. "Red," $15 million.

4. "Hereafter," $12 million.

6. "Secretariat," $6.9 million.

7. "Life as We Know It," $6.2 million.

8. "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole," $3.2 million.

9. "The Town," $2.7 million.

10. "Easy A," $1.8 million.