3D toon Hotel Transylvania scored the highest US debut since The Dark Knight Rises, grossing $43 million over the weekend and saving the day for a box office that had been in persistent decline since mid Summer. Revenues were $120 million, up 21% on the same time last year.

The film did also well overseas where it was released in 13 markets on Friday, drawing $8 million.

Voiced by Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Kevin James, the animated movie follows a protective count Dracula as he invites classic monsters to his hotel to celebrate his daughter’s 118’s birthday.

Another success story at the box office was sci-fi thriller Looper, which took the second spot in the US with $21.2 million bow and the first spot overseas with $36 million.

Directed by Rian Johnson, the film centers on an assassin (Joseph Gordon Levitt) who is tasked by the mob to execute his future self (Bruce Willis).

Last week’s champion, End of Watch, landed in the third spot, with $8 million. The police thriller has grossed $26.2 in the last 10 days. It was followed by Clint Eastwood’s baseball drama Trouble With the Curve, which added another $7.5 million to its coffers, reaching a total of $23.7 million.

The fifth spot was claimed by Horror flick House at the End, which drew $7.1 million, followed by a teen musical Pitch Perfect, which debuted with $5.2 million.

Zombies flick Resident Evil: Retribution landed in the 8th spot in the US, but fared better international where it was ranked second, taking $20.7 million. So far the film total cume stands at $38.7 domestically and $137 million in the rest of the world.

One major disappointment was education drama Won’t Back Down, which bowed with a dismal $2.7 million. Starring Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal, the film tells the true story of a teacher and a mother who challenge the establishment to form a better school in their neighbourhood.