Saw III debuted at the top of the US box office chart over the weekend, with takings of $33.6 million in its first three days.

Cop thriller The Departed stood firm in second place, followed by last week's number one, Christopher Priest adaptation The Prestige, in third. Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers and animation Open Season rounded out the top five.

The top ten in full:
1. (-) Saw III - $33.61m
2. (2) The Departed - $9.85m
3. (1) The Prestige - $9.57m
4. (3) Flags of Our Fathers - $6.35m
5. (4) Open Season - $5.86m
6. (5) Flicka - $4.73m
7. (7) Man of the Year - $4.73m
8. (6) The Grudge 2 - $3.26
9. (8) Marie Antoinette - $2.85m
10. (-) Running with Scissors - $2.53m