Hollywood should take note… Selena Gomez is apparently cartoon gold at the box office…

The 20-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer’s latest animated film Hotel Transylvania claimed the box office crown this weekend while setting a new September record.

Hotel Transylvania led this weekend’s box office with $43 million from 3,349 theaters — the highest September opening weekend of all time ahead of Sweet Home Alabama‘s $35.6 million bow a decade ago.

The monster hit, which centers on the former Wizards of Waverly Place star’s character Mavis celebrating her 118th birthday, earned a sizzling $12,840 per theater average.

Hotel Transylvania, which cost Sony $85 million, should continue to play to family audiences in the weeks leading up to Halloween, and will easily break the $100 million mark.

Gomez’s animated film Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!, which was released in March 2008, earned slightly more than Hotel Transylvania with $45 million. That film would go on to make $154 million at the box office.