Actor Will Smith's escapades as a cocked and loaded superhero in the action-humour flick 'Hancock' went straight to the head of the North American box office this weekend, preliminary figures showed on Sunday.

The former 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' star portrays a down-on-his-luck hero who drowns his sorrows in booze until he saves the life of a public relations executive who vows to remake his image.

'Hancock' took in $66-million over the weekend, ousting last week's winner 'WALL-E', which came in a distant second with $33-million according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations' early figures.

'WALL-E', the latest animated sci-fi comedy offering by Pixar, tells the tale of a trash compacting robot who falls in love in a post-apocalyptic world void of people.

In third place, pulling in $20.6-million, was the action-thriller 'Wanted', starring Angelina Jolie as a pouty sharpshooter who lures James McAvoy into a fraternity of assassins.

'Get Smart', a remake of a 1960s television series about the misadventures of bumbling US secret agent Maxwell Smart, came in fourth with $11-million.

In fifth place was 'Kung Fu Panda', the animated adventures of a kindly panda forced to become a martial-arts master to save his jungle from leopard villains. The film took in $7.5-million at the weekend.

'The Incredible Hulk', starring Edward Norton as the Marvel Comics superhero who turns fierce when angry, was sixth with $4.9-million.

Seventh place went to 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', with $3.9-million.

'Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl', the story of a 10-year-old who struggles to grow up during the Great Depression, made a surprise return to the top 10 in its 23rd week in theatres, raking in $3.6-million for the eighth slot.

The glitter and glam of New York City's favourite cougar quartet, 'Sex and the City', stayed strong in ninth place with $2.3-million in its ninth week.

Rounding out the top 10 was the Adam Sandler comedy 'You Don't Mess with the Zohan', which earned $2.0-million in ticket sales.

AFP