US screaming for new Jason movie

The film updates the story of hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees

A re-make of the classic 1980 horror film Friday the 13th has topped the North American box office in its opening weekend.

The revival of the slasher franchise took $42.2m (�29.7m) over three days according to early figures.

It sets a new record for the horror genre, topping the $39.1m (�27.5m) debut for 2004's The Grudge.

The film updates the grisly story of hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees and his rampage at a secluded summer camp.

The Friday the 13th series has been one of the most-enduring horror franchises, spawning 10 sequels, including crossover Freddy Vs Jason, pitting Voorhees against the killer from A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The movie bumped off the previous weekend's top earner, romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You, which fell to number two taking $19.6m (�13.8m).

NORTH AMERICAN BOX OFFICE

1. Friday the 13th - $42.2m

2. He's Just Not That Into You - $19.6m

3. Taken - $19.3m

4. Confessions of a Shopaholic - $15.4m

5. Coraline - $15.3m

Source: Media by Numbers

Kidnap thriller Taken, starring Liam Neeson, also fell one place to three in its third week, taking $19.3m (�13.5m).

New entries in the top 10 included Isla Fisher comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic at four and Clive Owen thriller The International at seven.

The top 10's three-day overall total of $190m (�133m) helped give Hollywood its best President's Day weekend ever, beating the previous best of $157.1m (�110.2m) over the same weekend in 2007.

"Hollywood seems to be unstoppable right now. With this notion of the recession helping the box office, I guess this is just another example of that," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers.

"People want to go to the movies and just have fun and escape."