Box Office: "Taken 2" Holds Slim Lead on Overachieving "Argo"

Still filling seats after its chart topping theatrical debut one week prior, "Taken 2" continues to reign at the box office while taking a slim lead to begin the weekend of October 12-14, 2012.
The Olivier Megaton directed crime drama starring Liam Neeson** as a retired CIA operative is lined up for an $8 million Friday with early forecasts pointing to a sophomore weekend total of $24.2 million.
Hot on its heels is the Ben Affleck** starring/directed thriller "Argo," as the just-released motion picture about Tony Mendez's account of the rescue of six U.S. diplomats during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis has higher-than-expected first day sales pegged at $7.5 million with a $22.6 million projected opening weekend.
Filling out the top five at the box office in earmarked earnings are Adam Sandler** and Selena Gomez's** animated family comedy "Hotel Transylvania" ($16 million) in third, followed by two newcomers with the Ethan Hawke** starring supernatural horror/thriller "Sinister" ($14 million) in fourth and Salma Hayek** and Kevin James'** underperforming comic caper "Here Comes the Boom" ($12 million) in fifth.

Chimdindu Nweke