Penguins beat Bond to top of US box office

The animated penguins of Happy Feet have stunned America by beating the new James Bond to the top of the weekend box office.

Both films topped $40m (€31m) in their opening weekends but Happy Feet edged ahead with an estimated three-day $42.3m (€33m) take.

Happy Feet features the voices of Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Robin Williams in the story of an penguin who cannot carry a tune like his brethren but can tap-dance up a storm.

Daniel Craig's 007 debut in Casino Royale debuted with a stunning $40.6m (€32m).

The placings of the two films could change when the official box office list is released today.

The films ended the two-week box office-topping reign of Sacha Baron Cohen's comic creation Borat, who fell to number three.