The comedy Kangaroo Jack has jumped to the top of the North American box office, knocking Just Married off the top spot.

The film, which follows two crooks who chase a kangaroo that makes off with their money, sold an estimated $17.7m (�11.01m) in tickets in its first three days of release.

The film is most notable for one of its screenwriters, Steve Bing, the millionaire who fathered Elizabeth Hurley's baby boy.

The Martin Lawrence comedy National Security opened in second place with $15.7m (�9.76m).

Globe winner Nicole Kidman stars in The Hours

The romantic comedy Just Married - starring 8 Mile actress Brittany Murphy and real-life boyfriend Ashton Kutcher - slipped to number three, taking $12.5m (�7.77m).

The fourth slot went to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers which took $11.4m (�7.09m), edging past Catch Me If You Can, with $11.3m (�7.03m).

Two other new entrants entered the top 10.

The romantic comedy A Guy Thing opened at number seven, with a disappointing $7.1m (�4.42m), and The Hours jumped 13 places to number nine with a $4.7m (�2.92m).

Stephen Daldry's The Hours - which centres on three women living in different eras whose lives are profoundly affected by the works of Virginia Woolf - received a boost at the Golden Globes, winning best dramatic film and best dramatic actress.

Another big Golden Globes winner - Chicago - was number six at the weekend box office with $8m (�4.98m).

Other films firing up the North American box office include the Jack Nicholson comedy About Schmidt at number eight with $6.3m (�3.92m) and the period epic Gangs of New York, which earned $4.1m (�2.55m), at number 10 along with Two Weeks Notice.