DREAMWORKS - SHREK BREAKS US ANIMATED RECORD

SHREK BREAKS US ANIMATED RECORD

Shrek the Third took $122 million (£61.9 million) in its first weekend, a record for an animated film in the North American box office.

The Dreamworks picture easily knocked Spider-man 3 off the top spot; in its third week the Tobey Maguire picture took $28.5 million (£14.5 million).

In third was zombie horror picture 28 Weeks Later while fourth was Disturbia, raking in $5.2 million (£2.6 million) and $3.7 million (£1.9 million) respectively. Rounding off the top five was Georgia Rule, which took $3.5 million (£1.8 million).

But it was the antics of green-skinned Shrek, who in the latest film indulges in a bit of gentle kingmaking, which dominated sales over the three-day weekend period.

The movie, which features Eric Idle and Justin Timberlake as well as regular stars Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy, is continuing a good summer season for cinema-takings across the Atlantic.

Two weeks ago Spider-man 3 stormed to the top of the box office chart, taking $59 million (£30 million) on its opening day stateside.

And next week sees the release of another enormous Hollywood franchise in the shape of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Film pundits are predicting more record-breaking for the third big trilogy-completing picture of the month.