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Animated family comedy Rio has topped the North American box office according to initial figures.

The film about a birdnapped macaw, which features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway, took $40m (£24.6m) in its first three days.

It was the best opening weekend takings so far this year, beating another animated comedy, Rango, by $2m (£1.2m).

Horror sequel Scream 4 - the first film in the franchise for 11 years - entered the chart at two with $19.3m (£11.9m).

The movie reunites original cast members Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette.

However box office receipts for the film came in lower than industry expectations, as its previous two movies both managed in excess of $30m (£18.4m) in their opening weekends.

A spokesperson for the Weinstein Co said that the long period between films may have affected its takings as the typically young teenage horror fan would have been too young for the franchise the last time around.

Last week's number one film, animated comedy Hop featuring the voice of Russell Brand, fell to number three after two weeks at the top spot.

Director Robert Redford's Lincoln-assassination drama The Conspirator was the only other new entry at nine.

It took $3.9m (£2.4m) after a limited release in 707 cinemas, compared to an average 2,900 cinemas for the rest of the top 10.

The movie stars Robin Wright and James McAvoy in a courtroom tale of a woman accused of aiding Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth.