Kill Bill, Volume 1 launched on a single print platform at UCI's Empire Leicester Square at the weekend for a staggering $218,402 (£131,041) three-day weekend.

The three-day result was the largest ever recorded for any film on the main screen at the flagship UK cinema, and confirms director Quentin Tarantino's popularity with UK audiences.

The film actually debuted on Thursday Oct 9 with a screening at 00:01 (12:01am), marketed as the first place in the world where it was possible to see it. The film received seven screenings that day with the final show at 23:30, and has taken $271,528 to date off the single screen.

The result is particularly impressive when compared to the single screen platform that BVI stablemate Finding Nemo received at the Odeon Leicester Square the previous weekend.

Nemo grossed $226,072, just $8,030 more than Bill. However Nemo not only had the benefit of being a U (suitable for all ages) certificate compared to Bill's highly restrictive 18 certificate but in addition the Odeon site boasts an auditorium encompassing nearly 2,000 seats compared to 1,330 in the main screen of the Empire.

Tarantino's previous films have taken over $41m between them in the UK and Ireland.

The territory was the most successful anywhere in the world for the director's cult classic debut Reservoir Dogs, which took nearly four times its North American gross in the UK and Ireland. The UK has been the biggest international territory for both Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown and now looks likely to be a key market yet again for Tarantino's latest effort.

Kill Bill, Volume 1 opens wide across the UK and Ireland on over 400 prints from Friday Oct 17.