Cop film arrests vampire assault

Kevin James co-wrote and co-produced the movie

Comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop has fended off the vampires and werewolves of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans to stay top of the North American film chart.

The film, starring Kevin James as a security guard who fights thieves, took $21.5m (£15.7m) in its second weekend.

The third instalment of the Underworld series, starring Briton Michael Sheen, landed in second place with $20.7m (£15.1m) on its debut.

Clint Eastwood drama Gran Torino dropped from second into third.

'Oscar bump'

The movie, which took $16m (£11.7m), tells the story of an ageing Korean war veteran who takes on a street gang.

Hotel for Dogs rose one place to four, taking $12.4m (£9.1m), while Slumdog Millionaire, nominated for 10 Oscars on Thursday, climbed from 10th to fourth, taking $10.6m (£7.7m).

US BOX OFFICE TOP FIVE 1 Paul Blart: Mall Cop - $21.5m 2 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans - $20.7m 3 Gran Torino - $16m 4 Hotel for Dogs - $12.4m 5 Slumdog Millionaire - $10.6m Source: Media by Numbers

Inkheart, starring Brendan Fraser as a bookbinder who can read characters out of books and into real life, opened in seventh place with $7.7m (£5.6m).

And The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which has earned 13 Oscar nods, re-entered the top 10, taking $6m (£4.4m).

Box office analysts Media By Numbers said Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button had benefited from an "Oscar bump".

Director Paul Dergarabedian said: "This lays to rest the argument that Oscar nominations can't help out your box office numbers."

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