New Underworld Sequel Rises to Top of U.s. Box Office Chart

Kate Beckinsale's vampire thriller Underworld Awakening has sunk its teeth into the U.S. box office, grossing $25.4 million (?15.88 million)in its opening weekend (20-22Jan12).

The fourth installment of the action franchise, in which Beckinsale returns as vampire warrioress Selene, has beaten George Lucas' historical World War Two epic Red Tails to debut atop the new box office chart.

Red Tails, about the heroic African-American Tuskegee Airmen, opens at two with a solid haul of $19.1 million (?11.94 million).

Last week's (ends15Jan12) most popular film, Mark Wahlberg's Contraband, slips to third place, while Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and director Steven Soderbergh's action movie Haywire round out the new top five.