Smith flick massacres Valentine's box office records

Will Smith wooed Valentine’s Day audiences this weekend with his first romantic comedy Hitch shattering US box office records.

The debut became the biggest ever US opening for a romantic comedy, taking an estimated €34m.

Smith, who is famed for wielding a gun on screen, plays a New York "date doctor" helping hopeless men win the hearts of their dream women. But unsurprisingly, he soon encounters romantic troubles of his own.

Hitch became a Valentine’s weekend best, easily knocking last year’s 50 First Dates off the top spot.

It is the fifth successive Will Smith film to go straight in at number one, following Shark Tale, I Robot, Bad Boys II and Men In Black II.

“Clearly, Will Smith is the man,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. “He can open any kind of movie. He has multi-genre appeal.”

It was a sweet weekend altogether for distributor Sony, which snared all top three slots.

Last week’s favourite, the horror tale Boogeyman was pushed into second place while Ice Cube’s comedy Are We There Yet, was third.

Rory Bruer, Sony’s head of distribution, was certainly impressed.

“Will Smith is one of those rare stars that just appeals to everyone, men, women and children,” he said. “There’s no doubt he’s somewhat of a king of action, but he is every bit as good in comedy.”

Three key Oscar contenders, Million Dollar Baby, Sideways and The Aviator all remained in the top 10 while Bride & Prejudice, a Bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen’s acclaimed novel opened well on limited release.

The film is directed by Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha.