'The Help' retains US box office lead for third week

Surprise hit The Help has retained its box office lead for the third weekend in a row, taking $14.2m for Labour Day weekend.

The Emma Stone-led drama passed the $100m mark on Tuesday in terms of domestic sales, making it one of the highest-grossing summer dramas of all time.

John Madden's remake of R-rated thriller The Debt opened in second place with $9.6m, while sci-fi horror Apollo 18 entered in third with $8.7m.

Underwater horror Shark Night 3D opened in fourth place with takings of $8.6m, while sci-fi reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes rounds out the top five with $7.8m.

Next weekend sees the release of Steven Soderbergh's highly-anticipated thriller Contagion, starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet and Jude Law.

This week's US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):

1. (1) The Help - $14,200,000
2. (-) The Debt - $9,670,000
3. (-) Apollo 18 - $8,700,000
4. (-) Shark Night 3D - $8,640,000
5. (4) Rise of the Planet of the Apes - $7,800,000
6. (2) Colombiana - $7,400,000
7. (5) Our Idiot Brother - $5,180,000
8. (3) Don't Be Afraid of the Dark - $4,940,000
9. (6) Spy Kids: All the Time in the World - $4,630,000
10. (7) The Smurfs - £4,000,000

Watch the trailer for The Help below: