Tom Hanks and Ron Howard’s latest Dan Brown adaptation, Inferno, went up in flames at the weekend box office in the US.

The film failed to hit the top spot, handing Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween a surprise victory.

Tyler’s latest Madea movie was number one for the second straight week, topping the North American box office with an estimated $16.6 million (£13.6 million).

That was enough to scare away the third instalment of the Da Vinci Code franchise. According to studio estimates, Inferno bombed with $15 million (£12.3 million) – about half of what more bullish predictions anticipated.

Sony Pictures and Inferno could take solace in stronger overseas business.

In two weeks of international release, it has earned nearly $150 million (£123 million).

The studio also stressed that the $75 million (£61.5 million) budget for Inferno was half that of The Da Vinci Code or Angels And Demons.