Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:10 pm
300: Rise of an Empire has topped the UK box office on its debut weekend on release.
The action blockbuster, a sequel to 2007's Zack Snyder hit 300, earned £2.7 million to end The Lego Movie's three-week reign at the chart summit.
Rise of an Empire's opening haul represents a significant drop from its predecessor, which debuted to £9 million in April 2007. The film eventually went on to make $450 million (£270 million) at the worldwide box office.
Back in this week's chart, Wes Anderson's latest The Grand Budapest Hotel debuted at number three with £1.5 million, up significantly from the £250,000 earned by Moonrise Kingdom in 2012.
Non-Stop, the latest Liam Neeson action-thriller, and comedy Ride Along complete the top five.
Elsewhere, the only other new release to make it into the top ten is animated film Escape from Planet Earth, landing at number seven with £395,392.
The UK box office figures in full:
1. (-) 300: Rise of an Empire - £2,761,612
2. (1) The Lego Movie - £1,633,265
3. (-) The Grand Budapest Hotel - £1,532,239
4. (2) Non-Stop - £1,496,108
5. (3) Ride Along - £823,312
6. (4) The Book Thief - £569,776
7. (-) Escape from Planet Earth - £395,392
8. (5) Mr Peabody & Sherman - £385,338
9. (9) 12 Years a Slave - £368,857
10. (6) Tinker Bell and The Pirate Fairy - £318,157
Source: Rentrak