New York - Oscar-nominated war film American Sniper led US and Canadian box office charts over the weekend with a record-setting $90.2m in ticket sales, according to studio estimates.
The film, which smashed the record for a January weekend, was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Bradley Cooper.
It far exceeded expectations after widely expanding to about 3 500 screens the day after scoring six Oscar nominations, including best picture and best actor for star Bradley Cooper, who plays a Navy Seal sharpshooter.
R-rated comedy The Wedding Ringer finished in second place with $21m for three days through Sunday during the US Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend.
Another new release, family film Paddington based on the series of classic children's books about a loveable bear, came in third with $19.3m.
The Wedding Ringer stars Kevin Hart and Josh Gad in a buddy comedy about a for-hire best man, played by Hart.
Paddington chronicles the adventures of the bear [voiced by Ben Whishaw] who travels to London from Peru seeking a home. Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Nicole Kidman star in it.