'Hellboy II: The Gold Army' conquers box-office rankings

New York, July 14 (DPA) "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" captured box-office gold in its opening weekend, taking the top ranking at North American box offices with three-day revenue of $35.9 million , according to preliminary studio estimates issued Sunday.

In a sequel to the 2004 comic-book adaptation "Hellboy", Ron Perlman stars as a demon who was raised by humans and fights to protect the world from monstrous evil, alongside co-star Selma Blair.

Guillermo del Toro directed the first "Hellboy" and returned to helm the sequel.

The new Hellboy pushed the story of derelict superhero Hancock, starring Will Smith, into second place in its second weekend in cinemas, with Friday-Sunday ticket sales of $33 million.