DREW BARRYMORE - CHIHUAHUA BARKS TO US BOX OFFICE NUMBER ONE

The family comedy, which features Drew Barrymore as the voice of a pampered pet who gets lost in Mexico, took $29 million (£16.5 million) in its first three days on release to debut at number one.

With seven new films released, three of which failed to dent the top ten, Beverly Hills Chihuahua's success is "terrific", according to Disney president of distribution Chuck Viane.

"It's not easy to compete when there is that much distraction and people are being pulled in every direction," he told Variety.

Last week's number one Eagle Eye, starring Shia LaBeouf, fell to second, while Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, featuring Juno actor Michael Cera, recopuped nearly all of its production costs to debut in third with $12.2 million (£6.8 million).

Ed Harris' new Western Apppaloosa opened in fifth, while two new politically-themed releases also reached the top ten after their opening weekend on release.

An American Carol, a supposed satire of Hollywood's liberal politics, debuted in ninth while Religulous, comedian Bill Maher's documentary about organised religion, charted at ten.

Simon Pegg's new comedy How to Lose Friends and Alienate People failed to make a huge impression on US cinemagoers with just $1.4 million (£797,000) in its first three days on release.