Slasher sequel Saw IV has killed off box office competition to top the US and Canadian chart, with takings of $32.1m (£15.6m).
Each October since 2004, a new chapter in the Saw series has been released to box office success.
"I would expect to see Saw V next year, Saw VI the year after that and Saw VII the following year if they can keep it up," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.
"There's just something inherently gruesome and compelling about these movies. I don't know what that says about society in general, but it certainly works at the box office." he added.
The torture flick beat Steve Carrell’s new movie, Dan in Real Life, into second place.
At number three was vampire movie 30 Days of Night, which fell from the top spot.
The 3D version of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas took 10th place on the chart.
