LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cowboys & Aliens has beaten back The Smurfs to win narrowly at the weekend box office.

According to final studio countsyesterday, the sci-fi Western took the No 1 spot on the domestic charts with a $36.4 million debut.

That puts Universal Pictures’ Cowboys & Aliens $800,000 ahead of Sony’s family adventure The Smurfs, which finished at No 2 with $35.6 million over opening weekend.

Sunday estimates had the two movies in a tie for the No 1 spot at $36.2 million each.

Last week, box-office analysts had expected Cowboys & Aliens would be the clear winner over the weekend. But the Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford action tale opened weaker than anticipated, while The Smurfs had a stronger debut than forecast.

The top 10 movies at US and Canadian theatres Friday through Sunday, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com are:

1. Cowboys & Aliens, $36,431,290

2. The Smurfs, $35,611,637

3. Captain America: The First Avenger, $117,421,571

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, $318,511,602

5. Crazy, Stupid, Love, $19,104,303

6. Friends with Benefits, $38,175,973

7. Horrible Bosses, $96,290,917

8. Transformers: Dark of the Moon, $338,007,725

9. Zookeeper, $68,832,733

10. Cars 2, $182,118,690

11. Winnie the Pooh, $22,435,490

12. Midnight in Paris, $46,851,966

13. Bridesmaids, $165,457,080

14. Bad Teacher, $96,718,147

15. Kung Fu Panda 2, $161,681,667

16. Mr Popper’s Penguins,$64,625,469

17. The Hangover Part II, $253,027,043

18. Sarah’s Key, $536,650

19. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, $2,562,458

20. The Tree of Life, $11,685,371