Distributed by Paramount, the DreamWorks Animation adventure came in well behind the studio's last cartoon comedy, "Monsters vs. Aliens," which opened with $59.3 million over the same weekend last year.
With strong reviews and enthusiastic responses from viewers in exit polls, DreamWorks expects "How to Train Your Dragon" to have more staying power than "Monsters vs. Aliens" in subsequent weekends, though.
The film features the voices of America Ferrera and Jay Baruchel (bar-roo-SHELL') - and its success drops the reigning box office champ to second place.
"Alice in Wonderland" took in $17.3 million.
The comedy "Hot Tub Time Machine" had a lukewarm opening.
It took in $13.7 million to finish third on the box office list.
