Cruise Movie Storms UK Box Office

Mission: Impossible III, starring Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, has topped the UK and Ireland box office on its weekend debut – and out-performing both the original MI and MI 2.

The film, which also features Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, took £5.3m from Friday to Sunday, outperforming both its predecessors. Mission: Impossible generated £4.2m on its weekend debut in 1996, while the second instalment made £4.6m during its opening weekend back in 2000.

But in North America the film disappointed, taking just $48m (£26m) in its first three days on release. The film had expected to open with about $60m in the US and Canada. Some analysts said the film's takings were affected by Cruise's recent outspoken public comments.

Elsewhere in the UK, romantic comedy Confetti opened in second place with ticket sales of £635,072.

Last week's top film, computer-animated sequel Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, dropped two spots to number three.

Ice Age 2 has now made £27.8m at the UK box office since its release five weeks ago.

Horror film Silent Hill, which stars Sean Bean and Radha Mitchell, fell one place to fourth.

Bruce Willis's latest thriller 16 Blocks rounded out the top five.

Other films in the top ten included Hugh Grant's American Dreamz and Denzel Washington's Inside Man.