Alexander fails to conquer box office

ALEXANDER the Great may have conquered millions in his march across the Persian Empire 2,400 years ago but moviegoers in North America easily repelled his advances over the weekend.

Alexander, director Oliver Stone's three-hour epic starring Irishman Colin Farrell as the youthful Macedonian warrior, opened at No 6 with ticket sales of just $13.5 million for the three days beginning Friday.

Since opening on Wednesday to get a jump-start on the US Thanksgiving holiday, the film has earned $21.6m from theatres in the United States and Canada short of the $25m hoped for by the film's financier, Intermedia Films.