Boogeyman knocked thriller Hide and Seek from the top spot

Boogeyman, which focuses on a man who returns to his childhood home to confront his traumatic past, took $19.5m (�14.9m) in three days.

Last week's chart-topper, the Robert de Niro thriller Hide and Seek, fell to number four.

Other new entries included The Wedding Date, a comedy starring Will and Grace's Debra Messing, at number two.

Super Bowl

The road-trip comedy Are We There Yet? and multiple Oscar nominee Million Dollar Baby completed the top five.

Other Oscar contenders, including The Aviator and Sideways, continued to perform strongly at the box office. The Aviator has taken $75m (�40m) so far, while Sideways has taken $46.8m (�24.8m) in a more limited release.

US/ CANADA BOX OFFICE 1. Boogeyman 2. The Wedding Date 3. Are We There Yet? 4. Hide and Seek 5. Million Dollar Baby 6. The Aviator 7. Meet the Fockers 8. Sideways 9. Racing Stripes 10. Coach Carter Source: Exhibitor Relations

Boogeyman, which cost just $7m (�3.5m) to make, performed well even though it was not screened to critics before release - normally a sign that a film will get bad reviews or perform poorly at the box office.

"I certainly believe it's a genre where people are going to be more moved by the marketing materials for the movie than by what the critics say," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony Pictures, which released the film in the US.

Overall the weekend box office was strong despite the fact that it was American football's Super Bowl weekend - a time when cinema admissions generally fall.