ROBERT DOWNEY JR - IRON MAN GRIPS ONTO TOP SPOT AT UK BOX OFFICE

Iron Man has held the number one spot at the UK box office for a second week, continuing its hold over moviegoers' hearts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Starring Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow, the action flick took £1.98 million in its second week on release to remain at the top of the charts.

The Marvel Studios movie retained the number one position in spite of the unexpected challenge of new romantic comedy What Happens in Vegas - which entered the charts at number two with £1.27 million in box office receipts from its first three days on release.

Former number one movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall dropped one place to third while there was a disappointing debut for Speed Racer, the new film from Larry and Andy Wachowski, the creators of The Matrix trilogy.

Though it received a substantial advertising campaign to exhibit its groundbreaking special effects, the cartoon adaptation - starring Emile Hirsch and Matthew Fox - took just £364,200 to take fourth spot in its opening weekend.

Apocalyptic thriller Doomsday opened in sixth position while Jessica Alba-starring horror The Eye fell five places to tenth.

Iron Man opened to a massive $101 million (£51 million) in the US becoming one of only ten films to ever break that barrier in its first three days on release.

Though it took only £5.4 million in its UK opening weekend, the comic book movie comfortably powered its way to the top of the charts in the UK and Ireland and now celebrates a second week atop the pile.

The top ten movies at the UK box office are: (last week's position)

1 Iron Man - £1,988,643 (1)
2 What Happens in Vegas - £1,270,410 (-)
3 Forgetting Sarah Marshall - £527,363 (2)
4 Speed Racer - £364,200 (-)
5 Nim's Island - £319,329 (3)
6 Doomsday - £313,172 (-)
7 Made Of Honour - £280,344 (4)
8 In Bruges - £103,875 (7)
9 21 - £90,198 (6)
10 The Eye - £89,538 (5)