Gibson Returns With Mayan Box Office Gold

Mel Gibson has bounced back from the scandal over his drink-driving arrest and anti-semitic rant to secure a box office hit with his epic film Apocalypto.

The film about the last days of the Mayan civilisation was top earner on its opening weekend in the US and Canada, taking $14.2m (£7.2m), according to studio estimates. Gibson's personal troubles, and criticism of the film's violence caused predictions of a boycott. Apocalypto's earnings were modest compared with Gibson's last movie, The Passion of the Christ, which made $83.8m in its opening weekend in 2004.

Chuck Viane, head of distribution for Disney, said the film had beaten people's pessimistic expectations. He said: "I think people probably are a bit on the surprised side around town that it's number one."

Some experts believed the publicity over Gibson's outburst and his contriteness had helped.

Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers, said there was a "huge curiosity factor".

"A movie about Mayan civilisation was never destined to be a big hit, let alone a number one movie," he said. "But through Disney's marketing, which highlights Mel Gibson - I believe they associated him very closely with the movie - I think that strategy paid off."