SCARY movie fans are still into Paranormal Activity, though the horror franchise looks as though it's starting to run out of steam at the box office.

Paramount's Paranormal Activity 4 debuted at No 1 with US$30.2 million, a big drop from the US$40-million and US$50-million opening weekends of the last two instalments, according to studio estimates yesterday.

Perpetual hit maker Tyler Perry failed to find an audience for his new persona as ace crime solver. Summit Entertainment's Alex Cross, starring Perry as author James Patterson's brilliant criminal profiler, was a dud, opening at No 5 with US$11.8 million.

Ben Affleck's Iran hostage tale Argo held up well in its second weekend, remaining at No 2 with US$16.6 million, dropping just 15 per cent from its debut.

Adam Sandler's animated hit Hotel Transylvania, from Sony Pictures, also held up well at No 3 with $13.5 million, pushing its domestic earnings to $119 million.

Liam Neeson's action sequel Taken 2, which had been No 1 the previous two weekends, slipped to fourth place with US$13.4 million, lifting the 20th Century Fox release's domestic haul to US$106 million.