By Brendan Swift
Dance drama Mao's Last Dancer has posted a strong opening weekend in the US, taking almost $US200,000 at the box office.
The film, which was the highest grossing feature at Australian cinemas last year, took $US192,830 across 31 screens for a screen average of $US6220.
The US distributor, Samuel Goldwyn Films, will expand the US release to more than 70 screens this week.
It comes as the film's producer Jane Scott continues legal action against Australian distributors Village Roadshow and Hopscotch for non-payment of royalties after an initially botched DVD release.
Mao's Last Dancer, which tells the true life story of dancer Li Cunxin, grossed more than $15.4 million at Australian cinemas and ranks as the 12th most successful local film of all time.
Meanwhile, crime drama Animal Kingdom has also continued its positive US box office performance. The film, starring Guy Pearce and Joel Edgerton, was released on August 13 and has now taken $US198,482 according to Box Office Mojo.