Bee Movie features the voice of comedian Jerry Seinfeld

The cartoon, written by and starring Jerry Seinfeld, jumped a place to take the chart's top spot with $26m (�12.5m) takings, according to studio estimates.

American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, fell one place to number two with $24m (�11.7m).

Christmas comedy Fred Claus debuted in third place with $19m (�9m) in the US and Canada between Friday and Sunday.

US AND CANADA BOX OFFICE Bee Movie - $26m (�12.5m) American Gangster - $24m (�11.7m) Fred Claus - $19.2m (�9m) Lions for Lambs - $6.7m (�3.2m) Dan in Real Life - $5.9m (�2.83m) Saw IV - $5m (�2.4m) The Game Plan - $2.4m (�1.15m) P2 - $2.2m (�1.06m) 30 Days of Night - $2.1m (�1.01m) Martian Child - $1.75m (�0.84m) Source: Media By Numbers

Tom Cruise's drama Lions for Lambs opened at four with $6.7m (�3.2m), while comedy Dan in Real Life, starring Juliette Binoche and Steve Carell, rounded out the top 10 with $5.9m �2.83m.

Bee Movie is the first film to rise through the rankings and hit number one since Wedding Crashers in July 2005.

"We don't often see a movie start out in the number two position then move up to number one," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

"It just shows how strong the word of mouth is on this movie and that families are really enjoying it."

The latest instalment of the horror series Saw came in sixth place on the chart, while the Disney film The Game Plan was seventh.

Rounding out the top 10 were two horror films - P2 in eighth place with $2.2m (�1.06m) in sales during its weekend debut, and Thirty Days of Night at number nine, with 2$2.1m (�1.01m).

The Martian Child was in 10th place with �1.7m (�0.84m).