WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE BREAKS RECORD IN TOPPING UK CHARTS

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE BREAKS RECORD IN TOPPING UK CHARTS

Golden Globe winner Slumdog Millionaire has continued its incredible run of success, breaking a UK box office record as it topped the charts.

Danny Boyle's film, which tells of a boy from the Mumbai slums nearing fame and fortune on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, increased its box office haul by 47 per cent in its second week on release, claiming the number one spot at the same time.

The huge jump in earnings - which followed the film's four wins at the Golden Globes - is the most successful second weekend ever recorded for a UK film release that had not substantially increased its number of prints on show, according to industry monitor Nielsen EDI.

"It's incredible... 47 per cent is the biggest ever increase for a UK saturation release," Dave Thurston, Nielsen EDI's managing director of was quoted by Sky News as saying.

"It really is a box office phenomenon, breaking the record previously held by Billy Elliot's 13 per cent. It is clearly a hit."

New Will Smith drama Seven Pounds debuted at number two - with last week's number one Role Models falling to third - while horror remake My Bloody Valentine 3D opened at number four.

Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua failed to repeat its chart-topping US success on this side of the Atlantic, opening at number six, while The Wrestler - which saw Mickey Rourke claim the best actor in a drama Golden Globe - entered the UK charts at number eight.

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

1 Slumdog Millionaire (2)
2 Seven Pounds (-)
3 Role Models (1)
4 My Bloody Valentine 3D (-)
5 Bride Wars (3)
6 Beverly Hills Chihuahua (-)
7 Defiance (4)
8 The Wrestler (-)
9 Yes Man (5)
10 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (7)