King Kong tops the charts

Peter Jackson has immediately come up trumps with his epic remake of King Kong, seeing it peer down on its competitors in the British film charts after the first weekend of its release in the nation's cinemas.

The director of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy sees his name virtually synonymous with Christmas time these days, having overseen the glittering festive releases of his Tolkien adaptations, and his latest film overtook The Chronicles Of Narnia while raking in £6 million in its first couple of days.

The success of King Kong has propelled Naomi Watts (The Ring, The Ring Two, 21 Grams) into the spotlight as she plays the role of heroine which Fay Way so memorably performed in the 1933 original.

King Kong is as yet failing to hit the high notes with the American public, though – in contrast to the success that Jackson's previous efforts have enjoyed across the Atlantic.

Other big Christmas films that King Kong sits above in the charts include Antarctic documentary March Of The Penguins, Flightplan – starring Jodie Foster – and the return to the big screen of Lassie.

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