Sandra Bullock film leapfrogs New Moon at US box office

Sandra Bullock film The Blind Side has knocked The Twilight Saga: New Moon off the top of the US box office chart, according to early estimates.

The film - which took $20.4m (£12.5m) - was released two weeks ago and was at number two until now.

The film stars Bullock as a woman whose family adopts a homeless teen who ends up playing professional US football.

"How outstanding is it to have a movie at number one in its third weekend?" said Warner's Jeff Goldstein.

He added that the film, which is based on a true story, had done more than double the business he had expected.

Remake

War drama Brothers was the second highest new entry at three, behind the Twilight sequel.

The remake of a 2004 Danish film made $9.7m (£5.9m) and stars Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhall.

Disney's A Christmas Carol moved back up the chart one place to four.

Family comedy Old Dogs slipped one place to five while heist thriller Armored tied with 2012 for sixth spot, both making $6.6m (£4m).

Ninja Assassin dropped two places to number eight, as did Planet 51 - now at nine.

Everybody's Fine, an update of a 1990 Italian film, was a new entry at 10 - it stars Robert De Niro as a pensioner who goes on a journey to seek out his grown-up children.

Box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian said cinema takings will finish at $10.6bn (£6.47m), which would easily overtake the all-time high of $9.68bn (£5.91m) two years ago.