Exorcist prequel comes in first

Exorcist: The Beginning, the chilling prequel to what many consider to be the most unnerving movie of all time, The Exorcist, has performed best in the cinema figures this week despite a unanimous mauling at the hands of critics.

The film has leapt to the top of the US and Canadian film charts, but in a slow week took just $18.2 million in its opening weekend.

The prequel knocked last week's monster melee Alien Vs Predator of the top spot and into fourth in the charts, with comedy Without a Paddle plunging into second with $13.7 million and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement coming third.

Paul Dergarabedian of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations said of the new Exorcist film: "You can always count on horror films to do well. There's just this built-in audience base that loves this genre."

Exorcist: The Beginning is the fourth Exorcist movie, with two sequels released in 1977 and 1990.

<b> US top five </b>
1. Exorcist: The Beginning, $18.2m
2. Without a Paddle, $13.7m
3. Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, $13.2m
4. Alien vs Predator, $12.5m
5. Open Water, $11.75m

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