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LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Explosive comic book adaptation "Watchmen" has stormed to the top of the North American box office, taking 55.7 million dollars over the weekend, according to preliminary figures.

Acclaimed as a faithful adaptation of Alan Moore's classic graphic novel, Zack Snyder's "Watchmen" delighted moviegoers as it follows the lives of numerous superheroes in an alternate 1985 America.

Tyler Perry's comedy about a grandmother behind bars, "Madea Goes to Jail," was locked out of the top spot after two weeks at number one, taking in 8.8 million dollars. In total the oddball crowd-pleaser has racked up 76.5 million dollars in ticket sales.

Rising back up the ratings charts to third place, kidnap thriller "Taken" starring Liam Neeson as a former spy whose daughter becomes a victim of human traffickers, brought in 7.5 million dollars, bringing it to a total of 118 million dollars in six weeks.

Triumphant multi-Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire" hung in at number four, earning 6.9 million in receipts in its 17th week in North American cinemas.

The Danny Boyle film, which has earned 125 million dollars since it opened, stole the show at February's 81st Academy Awards, where it scooped up eight Oscars.

In fifth place, "Paul Blart Mall Cop" -- the tale of a security guard turned hero -- proved its staying power by rising one spot, with 4.2 million dollars in sales for a total of 133 million dollars.

With an all-star cast including Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston, romantic comedy "He's Just Not That Into You" continued its slide into sixth with tales of modern dating disasters, earning four million dollars in sales.

Steady at the seventh spot was animated children's adventure "Coraline," which earned 3.3 million dollars. At eighth, light-hearted romantic comedy "Confessions of a Shopaholic" was worth 3.1 million dollars in its fourth weekend.

Tumbling the charts like a punch drunk boyband, the much anticipated but critically maligned 3D biopic from teen sensations The Jonas Brothers fell in a week from a promising second place to the ninth spot, taking in 2.8 million dollars.

Trailing at 10th place was the comedy "Fired Up," about a pair of high school footballers who join a cheerleading camp. It earned 2.6 million dollars in its third week of release.

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