"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" took a high 5.3 million pounds on its opening weekend, according to Screen International.
After making 8.5 million pounds on its UK debut, Avatar, the story of a man sent to infiltrate an alien race, earned another 3.8 million but slipped down to second place.
Another big newcomer, Guy Ritchie's remake of "Sherlock Holmes" with Robert Downey as the great detective and Jude Law as his colleague Dr Watson, could only manage third place, with 3.1 million pounds.
Way down the earnings table, Bollywood movie "3 Idiots" came in at four, just above "St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold," which slipped three places to five.
Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench and Penelope Cruz in "Nine," the story of a film director balancing his career and the women in his life, was up at six from 13.
"Nowhere Boy," the story of John Lennon's early life, with Aaron Johnson as the young Beatle, was new at seven.
Walt Disney's high-tech adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," slipped five places to eight, with "
Gerard Butler as the "Law Abiding Citizen" avenging the murder of his wife and daughter was down two spots at 10.
(Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Tim Castle)
via:http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5BT0XF20091230
