War of the Worlds Conquers the UK Box Office

War of the Worlds Conquers the UK Box Office

LONDON, July 4/PRNewswire/ -- Steven Spielberg's WAR OF THE WORLDS starring Tom Cruise invaded the UK box office this weekend, grossing a fantastic GBP8,644,787, including previews of GBP1,116,200, in 507 theatres across the UK & Ireland, blasting its way to the number 1 position.

With a per-theatre average of GBP17,051, WAR OF THE WORLDS is the biggest UK box office opening ever for Paramount Pictures, plus it's the biggest opening ever for a Tom Cruise movie and a Steven Spielberg film. It's also UIP UK's biggest-ever non-sequel opening.

The film has also garnered praise from leading UK film and national newspaper critics

- Daily Mail (Chris Tookey) calls it 'greatest action epic ever'

- Daily Mirror - The Ticket (David Edwards) says 'War is quite simply out of this world'

- The Observer (Mark Kermode) claims it's 'a voracious big-budget action spectacular'

- Sunday Express (Henry Fitzherbert) call it 'A masterful thrill ride'

- Sunday Mirror (Mark Adams) claims it's 'A breathtaking roller-coaster ride of stunning sci-fi entertainment

- Sunday Times (Cosmo Landesman) calls it 'Classic Spielberg....the master of pure thrills'

From Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures comes "War of the Worlds," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring international superstar Tom Cruise. A contemporary retelling of H.G. Wells's seminal classic, the sci-fi adventure thriller reveals the extraordinary battle for the future of humankind through the eyes of one American family fighting to survive it. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, and Tim Robbins.

Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present an Amblin Entertainment/Cruise|Wagner Production, a Steven Spielberg film, "War of the Worlds." Directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and David Koepp, based on the novel by H. G. Wells, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. The executive producer is Paula Wagner. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin and Tim Robbins.

WAR OF THE WORLDS is distributed in the UK & Ireland by United International Pictures. Certificate is a 12A. BBFC Consumer advice reads: Contains sustained menace, threat and moderate horror"

Source: United International Pictures (UK)

For further information please contact: Jenny Erwood - UIP Press Office, T: +44(0)20-7534-5235 e-mail: jenny_erwood@uip.co.uk

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