Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has topped the US box office chart after taking a massive $126 million (£63.7 million) in its first four days on release.
The fourth film in the franchise premiered at the Cannes film festival and despite some mixed reviews has given director Steven Spielberg his biggest global opening ever, with $311 million (£157 million) taken worldwide in five days.
Though the film's success at the UK box office has not yet been confirmed, its US success was hugely influenced by nostalgia, according to Rob Moore, president of Paramount Worldwide Distribution.
"Adults really drove this opening. This is one of their favourite franchises and they couldn't wait to take their kids with them," he was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.
The film's opening was less warmly received among some Russian filmgoers, with the Communist party of St Petersburg warning the cast of the new Indiana Jones movie to steer clear of the Russian city.
Hollywood actors Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett were accused by party leaders of promoting anti-Soviet propaganda in the movie.
The Communist party declared the movie "an insult to the Soviet and Russian people, who remember the difficult 50s", when the country was "concluding its reconstruction after the Great War".
The top ten films at the US box office are: (last week's position)
1 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal - $126m (-)
2 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - $28.6m (1)
3 Iron Man - $25.6m (2)
4 What Happens in Vegas… - $11.1m (3)
5 Speed Racer - $5.2m (4)
6 Baby Mama - $4.2m (6)
7 Made Of Honour- $4.2m (5)
8 Forgetting Sarah Marshall - $2.2m (7)
9 Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay - $1.2m (8)
10 The Visitor - $917,000 (10)
27/05/2008 09:36:18
See Also
