Kong rules NZ box office

King Kong is emperor of the box office in New Zealand, taking $2.83 million in just eight days.

Head of United International Pictures Peter Garner said it was the fourth-strongest opening ever for a movie in New Zealand.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy - also by director Peter Jackson - took the first three places.

"Kong is fourth only by a fraction. We expect the movie to play broadly and extremely well," Mr Garner told NZPA.

"We are absolutely delighted, it's a fantastic result for us and for Peter Jackson."

The giant ape extravaganza is king of the box office in all but two of the 56 countries where it was released last weekend, failing only to be top in Italy and Japan.

Meanwhile, King Kong took US$66.2 ($98.79) million at the US and Canadian box offices in its first five days, somewhat short of the US$75 million expected.

Industry experts say 2005 has generally seen a decline at the box office.

Studios are reducing the time between cinema and DVD releases, so movie fans have less motivation to go to the cinema.

Kong was expected to boost earnings in a lacklustre year.

The movie's opening weekend in the United Kingdom took £6 million ($15.62 million), far short of Harry Potter's £14.9 million.

King Kong cost US$202 million to make.

- NZPA