<em>Jack</em> slays the competition

Los Angeles - Jack the Giant Slayer climbed to the top of movie box office charts, grabbing an estimated $28m in weekend ticket sales at US and Canadian theaters.

The $189m production is a modern, special effects-filled version of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk fairy tale.

It stars Nicholas Hoult as a young farmer who ventures into the land of the giants to save a kidnapped princess.

Jack finished ahead of Identity Thief, which placed second with $9.7m and adult comedy 21 and Over, which sold $9m worth of tickets from Friday through Sunday to capture third place.

Horror sequel The Last Exorcism Part II took the No 4 slot with $8m.