The first of the eagerly awaited Lord of the Rings films took a total of $18.2m in the US on Wednesday, its worldwide release day.
This makes it the third biggest mid-week opener in US cinema history, with the film earning the biggest ever takings for any day in December.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace grossed $28.5m on its opening day in 1999 while Jurassic Park III reached just over $27m.
Harry Potter beat The Lord of the Rings in the US with opening day takings for 'The Sorcerer's Stone' reaching an estimated $31.6m (£19.6m).
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone opened on a Friday, while distributors of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring opted to open the film worldwide on a Wednesday.
