Argo jumped ahead to the No.1 slot this weekend, in what was pretty much a weak weekend for films, grossing $12.3 million, for a total to date of almost $61 million.

The $100 million Cloud Atlas totally underperformed making $9.4 million, coming in third; though it was not really expected to do well in the first place and it’ll definitely perform better overseas.

Atlas’ main problem was that Warner, which only put in maybe 20% of the film’s overall production budget, with most being raised from overseas sources, had completely no idea how to sell the complex film. And audiences like to have a clear idea of what a film is about before they decide to see it or not.

Meanwhile, Hotel Transylvania, still showing strong legs, came in second; while Pitch Perfect is turning into a genuine out-of-nowhere sleeper hit for Universal.

Both Paranormal Activity, which was last weekend’s no. 1 film, and Alex Cross, both dropped big time; Paranormal some 70%, and Cross 55%.

On the indie front, Middle of Nowhere, now in its third week, playing on 24 screens, made $30,134, bringing its total to date to $166, 935. The film will expand to more cities next weekend including San Francisco, New Orleans and Cleveland, while also opening on more screens  in L.A. and N.Y.

And Matthew Cherry’s The Last Fall, which opened on one screen in Los Angeles, before its DVD/VOD release through Image Entertainment, opened with $6,130, a solid per screen figure.

1) Argo WB $12,355,000 Total: $60,780,000 2) Hotel Transylvania Sony $9,500,000 Total: $130,434,000 3) Cloud Atlas WB $9,400,000 – 4) Paranormal Activity 4 Par. $8,675,000 Total:$42,632,000 6) Taken 2 Fox $8,000,000 Total: $117,389,000 5) Silent Hill: Revelation 3D ORF $8,000,000 7) Here Comes the Boom Sony $5,500,000 Total: $30,610,000 8) Sinister Sum. $5,070,000 Total: $39,515,000 9) Alex Cross Sum. $5,050,000 Total: $19,369,000 10) Fun Size Par. $4,060,000 11) Pitch Perfect Uni. $3,978,000 Total: $51,330,000 12) Chasing Mavericks Fox $2,200,000