Beowulf, the special effects-heavy adaptation of the Old English epic poem, has become king of the box office both in the US and around the world.

Across the pond, the Robert Zemeckis-directed film, which uses digital 3D techniques, raided more than $28m (£13.5m) in ticket sales, reaching the No 1 spot in its opening weekend, with about 40% of its intake coming from 3D cinemas.

The movie tells the classic tale of the Geat warrior Beowulf, voiced by Ray Winstone, who battles the monster Grendel. Its release was the largest in 3D movie history.

"It just shows the potential of what 3D can be in the future," Don Harris, Paramount's executive vice-president of distribution, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Beowulf was similarly popular across the world, reaching the No 1 spot with $17m (£8.2m) earned across 13 countries. Unsurprisingly, the movie did best in the UK, where it earned $4.4m (£2.1m). However, it was also a surprise hit in South Korea, where it cashed in $3.7m (£1.7m).

European countries such as Germany and Italy gave the film a slightly cooler reception, with earnings of $2.1m(£1m) and $2m (£970,000) respectively.

At the US box-office, Bee Movie, the family-oriented animated feature featuring the voice of Jerry Seinfeld, slipped to No 2 with $14.3m (£6.9m), while the crime drama American Gangster, starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, rounded out the top three with earnings topping $13m (£6.2m). The movie has so far earned $101m (£49m) in the US.

Outside America, American Gangster was the second most popular movie, after cashing in $14m (£6.7m) this week. One place below found the Ben Stiller comedy The Heartbreak Kid, with earnings of $7.1m (£3.4m) from 37 nations.