Darkest Hour wins U.K box office battle

Joe Wright’s Second World War drama Darkest Hour has debuted at the top of the U.K. box office chart.
The awards contender, which stars Gary Oldman as Britain’s iconic war leader Winston Churchill, earned $5.5 million (£4 million) last weekend (12Jan-14Jan18).
Oldman has earned extensive plaudits and a Golden Globe award for his performance as Churchill in his first difficult weeks as prime minister, and is now a strong favourite to win the Best Actor Oscar.
Darkest Hour, which also stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James, replaces Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle at the top spot, with the family adventure’s $3.3 million (£2.4 million) in takings only good enough for second place.
In at three is another awards contender, Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, with $3.2 million (£2.3 million).
Movie musical The Greatest Showman falls to four with $2.9 million (£2.1 million), while horror sequel Insidious: The Last Key completes the top five having made $2.5 million (£1.8 million).