Ring-ing the cash registers at box office

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

is already a smash hit worldwide, having pulled in more than $320 million at cinemas around the world.

The first instalment of Peter Jackson's $650 million trilogy opened at No 1 across the United States and Europe, according to box-office estimates released today.

In the US and Canada, it pulled in $45.3 million ($NZ111.35 million) over the weekend alone - half the amount of the Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone opening, but still a record for December.

Since opening in North America on Thursday, it has taken in $73.1 million ($NZ178 million). But the Rings film was never expected to approach Potter's phenomenal level of $90 million ($NZ219 million) because its three-hour running time restricts the number of sessions that can be played each day.

In 15 other countries, including New Zealand, the film has hauled in $NZ145 million. It's topped box offices in Britain ($NZ39 million), Germany ($NZ33 million), France ($NZ20 million), Spain ($NZ12 million), and Scandinavia.

In New Zealand, it smashed the opening day record, earning $720,933 at 63 theatres. It's expected to break the $2 million mark when local figures are released today.

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