The Two Towers took £8.6m in its first three days on release in the UK and Ireland, as well as the $62m (£38.8m) it took across North America between Friday and Sunday.

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets held onto second place in cinemas in the British Isles, taking £1.2m in reciepts.

Liv Tyler in The Two Towers: The film has two Golden Globe nods

The boy wizard has amassed £46m in sales in just six weeks on release.

The latest James Bond film, Die Another Day, took £1.1m, with seasonal comedy Santa Clause 2 taking just over £1m.

Fifth in the chart, compiled by Screen International, was new entry Sweet Home Alabama, starring Reese Witherspoon as a New York fashion designer. It took nearly £800,000.

In North America The Two Towers has already taken well over $100m ($62.6m) - a 33% rise on the first week's takings of the first Lord of the Rings film.

The figures add extra shine to a successful debut for the film, made as part of a trilogy which cost $260m (£162m).

Last week it was nominated for two Golden Globe awards, including best dramatic film.