Depp pirate sequel sails to top of UK movie chart
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and the Da Vinci Code are among the most successful films of the year — despite receiving lukewarm receptions from critics.
The second instalment of the swashbuckling adventure starring Johnny Depp was top, making almost £52million in the UK.
This was £7 million more than Casino Royale in which Daniel Craig made his Bond debut.
The Da Vinci Code, Ron Howard's adaptation of Dan Brown's best-seller, was third with earnings of more than £30million. As well as Pirates, three other sequels — Ice Age 2:The Meltdown, X-Men:
The Last Stand and Mission Impossible III — all made the top 10.
UK cinema audiences were slightly up on last year. Ralph Ludemann of the Hollywood Reporter said: "This proves there is an upward curve in the business and it bodes well for 2007."
Next year's big movies include the third Pirates film, The Simpsons Movie and Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.
