Jet Li stars in Chinese epic Hero

Hero, starring Jet Li, earned an estimated $9m ($5m) over the Labor Day holiday weekend, traditionally a quiet time for cinemas.

Comedy Without a Paddle rose one place to number two, taking $7.1m ($3.9m).

The highest new entry was action movie Paparazzi at number four, which took $6.4m (�3.6m).

The film, made by Mel Gibson's production company Icon, sees a celebrity action star hunting down a gang of photographers who have been hounding him.

US top five 1. Hero 2. Without a Paddle 3. Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid 4. Paparazzi 5. The Cookout Source: Exhibitor Relations

Playing one of the baddies is Tom Sizemore, in his biggest role since he was convicted of abusing his former girlfriend Heidi Fleiss.

Comedy The Cookout, about a basketball star who throws a barbecue for his neighbourhood, entered at number five, with takings of $5.6m (�3.1m).

Psychological drama Wicker Park, featuring Josh Hartnett, opened at number six - in a tie with teen romance movie The Princess Diaries 2 - both taking $5.4m (�3m).

But there was disappointment for the Bollywood-flavoured remake of Vanity Fair, starring Reese Witherspoon, which took $4.9m (�2.7m) over the weekend period.