Animated family film Robots has toppled Vin Diesel's comedy The Pacifier to debut at the top of the American box office with a $36.5 million haul.

The Pacifier, the previous weekend's number one movie, finished a strong second with $18.1 million, lifting its 10-day total to $54.4 million.

Bruce Willis' police thriller Hostage, debuted at a disappointing fourth place with $9.8 million - behind John Travolta and Uma Thurman's Be Cool, which took in $10.3 million, and ahead of Will Smith's hit romantic comedy Hitch, which earned $8.7 million.

Mel Gibson's religious blockbuster The Passion Of The Christ, which grossed $370 million last year, made barely a ripple at theatres in a recut version that toned down the blood and violence. The Passion Recut took in just $239,850.