Diesel beats Travolta in US chart

The Pacifier, in which Diesel's character must protect a group of unruly children, took an estimated $30.2m (£15.7m) in its opening weekend.

Be Cool, which sees Travolta revive his Get Shorty character, took $23.5m (£12.2m) to enter in second place.

Will Smith's comedy Hitch was in third place, according to North American box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Last week's number one, low-budget comedy-drama Diary of a Mad Black Woman, slipped to number four.

Success at last week's Oscars helped Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby move up from sixth to fifth in the cinema chart for estimated ticket sales between Friday and Sunday.

The Pacifier, in which Vin Diesel plays a Navy Seal who has to protect five children from their late father's enemies, outstripped expectations, according to Exhibitor Relations.

"You can't underestimate the family audience," Paul Dergarabedian, the company's president, said.

"I think people like to see a fish-out-of-water story - an action star in a very unexpected role."

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