Spider-Man dominates UK box office in first weekend

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) ''Spider-Man 3'' took the British box office by storm over the weekend, notching up one of the highest-ever UK openings, according to Screen International today.

The darker, and longer, sequel in the Marvel Comics series with Tobey Maguire back as the arachnid superhero has had mixed reviews but still managed to bring in 11.8 million pounds.

That is well short of blockbusters like the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings series but nearly double the opening weekend take of Britain's two most recent big-grossing movies: ''Hot Fuzz'' and ''Mr Bean's Holiday.'' New in second place was ''Bridge to Terabithia,'' an adaptation of Katherine Paterson's 1977 book about two lonely children who create an imaginary world of their own.

Third, down from top last week, was ''Next,'' with Nicolas Cage as a man who can see two minutes into the future.

Fourth, down two places was John Travolta in biker buddies movie ''Wild Hogs'' while also down two, at five, was courtroom drama ''Fracture.'' At six, still in the top 10 after a month and a half, was Rowan Atkinson on holiday as Mr Bean -- a successful movie which has so far taken 21.1 million pounds.

Down two, at seven, was ''Blades of Glory,'' with Will Ferrell and Jon Heder as a pair of rival figure skaters.

Eighth, also down two, was ''Alpha Dog'' with Justin Timberlake and Sharon Stone in a tale of teenage would-be gangsters from California.

Up two at No 9 was ''This is England'' the tale of an 11-year-old skinhead and an older neo-Nazi gang in the 1980s.

Tenth, down three places, was ''The Painted Veil,'' the story of a young English couple in the 1920s who marry in haste, deceive each other in Hong Kong and find an unexpected chance of happiness during a journey to China.

REUTERS GL HT1515