High School dances to top in US

High School Musical 3 is the first big screen release in the series

High School Musical 3: Senior Year has topped the US box office beating horror sequel Saw V into second place, according to early studio estimates.

The musical took $42m (£25.9m) in its opening weekend, while Saw V - the latest film about crazed killer Jigsaw - clawed in $20.5m (£13.3m).

Last week's top film, action movie Max Payne, was third with $7.6m (£4.9m).

Family film Beverley Hills Chihuahua took $6.9m (£4.5m), in fourth, while Pride and Glory took $6.3m (£4.1m).

NORTH AMERICA BOX OFFICE 1. High School Musical 3 - $42m (£25.9m) 2. Saw V - $30.5m (£13.3m) 3. Max Payne - $7.6m (£4.9m) 4. Beverly Hills Chihuahua - $6.9m (£4.5m) 5. Pride and Glory - $6.3m (£4.1m) 6. The Secret Life of Bees - $5.9m (£3.8m) 7. W - $5.3m (£3.5m) 8. Eagle Eye - $5.1m (£3.3m) 9. Body of Lies - $4.1m (£2.7m) 10. Quarantine - $2.6m (£1.7m)

High School Musical 3's $42m haul was the record opening for a musical, beating the $27.8m (£18.1m) taken by Mamma Mia! in its opening weekend in the summer.

The film is the first big screen release for the High School Musical series. The first two instalments were TV movies initially screened on the Disney Channel.

The latest film follows the pressures of the final year of high school.

It features the blossoming romance of lead character Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron, and Gabriella Montez, played by Vanessa Hudgens.

Saw V, meanwhile, is the first film of the horror series not to debut at number one in North America.

"It was good versus evil at the box office and both won," said Paul Dergarabedian from box office tracker Media By Numbers.

The combination of two very different films "both chasing completely different audiences proved to be a huge success," he added.