LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sony Picture's "Open Season" about animals fending off the hunters topped the box office in the U.S. this weekend, raking in about 23 million dollars, figures showed.

The movie gives Sony a record eleven number-one openings this year.

"The Guardian" starring Kevin Costner as a rescue swimmer teaching an elite Coast Guard training program debuted in second place with about 17.7 million dollars, according to estimates released on Sunday by Encino-based box office tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

Final figures for the Friday-to-Sunday period will be released tomorrow.

"Jackass: Number Two," last week's winner, dropped to the third spot with about 14 million dollars. The sequel stars Johnny Knoxville and his friends performing dangerous and often crude stunts.

Billy Bob Thornton's new comedy "School for Scoundrels" debuted in fourth place with about 9.1 million dollars.

"Jet Li's Fearless," the martial arts epic that opened in second place last week, dropped three spots to fifth place with about 4.7 million dollars.

Rounding out the top 12 were: "Gridiron Gang" (4.5 million dollars); "The Illusionist" (2.8 million); "Flyboys" (2.3 million);"The Black Dahlia" (2.1 million); "Little Miss Sunshine" (2 million); "All The King's Men" (1.6 million); "The Covenant" (1.3 million).

With the top 12 films grossing an estimated 85.1 million dollars this weekend -- nearly 10 million more than the same time last year,-- this was the first "up" weekend at the box following three "down" weekends in a row. Enditem