KEY POINTS:
Sacha Baron Cohen's Kazakh alter-ego Boratmade glorious returns at the box office, surprising Hollywood with a number one debut.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan took in US$26.4 million over opening weekend.
Box-office analysts had expected The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, with Tim Allen returning as St Nicholas, to win the weekend. The movie opened at number two with US$20 million, followed by animated comedy Flushed Away in third place with US$19.1 million.
