Kong recaptures box office crown

King Kong won a tight battle with The Chronicles of Narnia

King Kong has returned to the top of the UK and Ireland's box office.

Peter Jackson's remake of the classic film regained the crown from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

The two films have jostled for pole position in recent weeks, taking £2.16m and £2.13m respectively at the weekend.

Gay cowboy romance Brokeback Mountain - starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger - opened in fourth spot after showing in a limited number of cinemas.

UK & IRELAND BOX OFFICE CHART 1. King Kong (£2.16m) 2. Narnia (£2.13m) 3. Just Friends (£1.75m) 4. Brokeback Mountain (£987,261) 5. Just Like Heaven (£934,650) Source: Screen International

Romantic comedy Just Friends, about a man who meets the woman he had a crush on at high school, entered the chart at number three in its opening weekend with takings of £1.75m.

Another new entry in the top 10 was Woody Allen's Match Point - starring Scarlett Johansson - at number seven.

Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo's romance Just Like Heaven dropped two places to five with £934,650, while Cheaper By The Dozen 2 also fell from four to six after taking £781,725.

The fourth JK Rowling adaptation, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, took £582,984 in its eighth week on the chart upping its total haul to £ 47.55m.

Rounding out the top 10 was The Producers at nine and March of the Penguins at 10.