The film is based on a 1974 horror classic

The film took $29.1m (�18.5m) in its first three days of release.

The film's taking is the second-best figure for an October release after the $36.5m (�23.3m) taken by the Hannibal Lecter film Red Dragon last year.

The film, which stars US TV actress Jennifer Biel, only cost $9.5m (�6m) to make. The film was produced by Armageddon director Michael Bay.

Last week's number one film, Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, fell to second place, having taken $12.5m (�8m) to add to its first week haul of $43.3m (�27.7m).

Top 5 North American films 1 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Kill Bill 3 Runaway Jury 4 School of Rock 5 Mystic River Source: Exhibitor Relations

Two new films made the top five. At number three was Runaway Jury, a John Grisham-based thriller, which made $12.1m (�7.75m), while at number five was Mystic River, a drama by actor and director Clint Eastwood.

The film, which rose 12 places in a week, took $10.4m (�6.66m). The film was in its first full week of national release.

At number four was the former chart-topper School of Rock, starring comedian Jack Black. The film took $11.3m (�7.24m), and had taken more than $55m (�35.2m) in the last 17 days.

New Line, the company that produced Texas Chainsaw Massacre, had expected the film to post an opening week figure of about $20m.

New Line said the film's audience was predominantly under 25 years old, and that most of them had not seen the original, a low-budget 1974 chiller that has taken more than $100m (�64m) since its release.