Superman fails to knock Pirates off UK top spot

LONDON, July 19 (Reuters) ''Superman Returns'' zoomed up to second place at the UK box office in its debut weekend but the Man of Steel failed to dislodge Pirates of the Caribbean from top spot.

Warner Bros' tale of the superhero returning to Earth to find a world that has moved on took 4.34 million pounds over three days, according to Screen International figures.

The first Superman film for nearly 20 years stars Brandon Routh in the role made famous by Christopher Reeve, who was paralysed in a horse-riding accident in 1995 and died in 2004.

Kate Bosworth plays Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey the villainous Lex Luthor.

But even their combined talents could not sink Disney's ''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,'' which racked up 6.05 million pounds last weekend to stay top.

The Johnny Depp swashbuckler notched up Britain's second-biggest ever opening weekend takings earlier this month, behind last November's ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.'' Third down from second was former chart-topper, animated animal comedy ''Over the Hedge.'' Fourth, up from five was Cannes festival triumph ''The Wind that Shakes the Barley,'' set in revolutionary Ireland early in the last century.

Fifth, down from three was ''Just my Luck,'' starring Lindsay Lohan and Chris Pine as New Yorkers whose chance meeting reverses their widely differing fortunes in life.

At six was road-race movie ''The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,'' one above Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in ''The Lake House'' romance.

Eighth was Bollywood newcomer Golmaal and ninth ''The Da Vinci Code,'' down from seven.

Tenth was ''District 13'' set in the ghettos four years hence where two men use martial arts and acrobatics in the quest to defuse a neutron bomb.

REUTERS DKB SSC1018