MONA LISA SMILE - LORD OF THE RINGS REIGNS AT BOX OFFICE

LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING has hauled in a massive $246 million (GBP144.7 million) in worldwide ticket sales in its first five days of release.

The fantasy finale sold $125.1 million (GBP73.5 million) in America and Canada alone, and is now on target to achieve $470 million (GBP276.5 million) by the end of next weekend (28DEC03), according to ROLF MITTWEG, NEW LINE's president of worldwide marketing and distribution.

In second place in the American box office - by a considerable margin - was JULIA ROBERTS' film MONA LISA SMILE, which took $12 million (GBP7 million).

Last weekend's top movie, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE with JACK NICHOLSON and DIANE KEATON slipped to No. 3 with $11.5 million (GBP6.7 million). THE LAST SAMURAI was in fourth place and STUCK ON YOU in fifth.