Dark Knight knocks down Total Recall

Los Angeles - Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises  took the weekend box office title for a third time, beating back a challenge from science fiction remake Total Recall.

Dark Knight Rises brought in an estimated $36.4m from theatres in the United States and Canada, distributor Warner Bros said on Sunday. The movie is the third film in a popular trilogy starring Christian Bale as the caped crusader.

Total Recall  finished in distant second place with $26m from Friday through Sunday.

The film stars Colin Farrell in a remake of a 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

The No 3 spot went to family sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, which grabbed $14.7m.