Franchise power proved that it can overcome even the waning appeal of a genre this weekend as Saw IV arrived at the top of the US box office charts. The new twist on Jigsaw’s tale nabbed $32.1 million in its launch weekend. That’s just a little lower than Saw III, but more than Saw II.

Completely at the other end of the movie genre scale, we find Dan In Real Life, the heart-warming romantic dramaedy starring Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche. With 100% less torture (unless you count having to watch Dane Cook act), it also did well in its first weekend, nabbing $12 million according to studio estimates.

Vamp thriller 30 Days Of Night took a 60% tumble down to third, making $6.7 million in its second weekend, and has taken $27.3 million so far. In fourth, Disney’s The Game Plan continued to show its strength, with $77 million in the coffers to date. In fifth place, Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married made $5.7 million in its third week of release.

Sixth place went to Michael Clayton, with George Clooney as a corporate litigator who uncovers a chilling conspiracy. The film took in $5.3 million. Then, in seventh, Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone held up well, scoring $3.9 million for a $11 million total take so far.

So to the bottom of the charts, where we find The Comebacks at eighth, with $3.5 million, We Own The Night in ninth place, with $3.4 million and finally, the successful re-release of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D, which has now taken $10 million.