David Fincher's adaptation of Gillian Flynn's bestselling novel Gone Girl has won the box office for the third week in a row in both America and Britain, a remarkable achievement for a two-and-a-half hour long mystery that loses its surprise value on first viewing. So audiences must be responding to its complex exploration of relationship issues, mainly how difficult it is to know what's going on in a partner's head.

Ben Affleck in Gone GirlBen Affleck in Gone Girl

This week in America, Gone Girl saw off competition from both Dracula Untold (which landed in second place) and Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day (at No 3). In Britain, newcomers The Maze Runner and Annabelle were held off at 2 and 3. And the film shows no signs of slowing down, at $162 million worldwide and climbing. Competition this week in America comes from Brad Pitt's Fury, while in the UK the top titles are Palo Alto and The Judge. In both markets, romantic drama The Best of Me is also expected to make its mark.

More: Read Rich Cline's review of Gone Girl here

Meanwhile, Gone Girl has also been gaining momentum in the awards-season buzz, with Ben Affleck and especially Rosamund Pike listed as probable contenders for the lead acting Oscars, while this year's Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris, as well as Tyler Perry and Carrie Coon have shown up on lists of possible supporting actor nominees.

What this means is that Hollywood will turn to other bestselling mysteries for source material for big movies, although they need to be sure to get filmmakers as skilful as Fincher and first-rate actors who can create complex characterisations if they want to make this kind of a splash.

Watch the trailer for Gone Girl here