Steven Spielberg's latest film Catch Me If You Can received a strong positive reception in Spain this week, where it started its European roll out ahead of a mass launch next weekend.

The UIP release claimed $2.2m (Euros 2m) from 286 screens in the territory to take the top spot away from UIP stablemate The Ring.

The comedic drama, based on the true exploits of US con artist Frank Abagnale Jr, stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale, Tom Hanks as pursuing FBI agent Frank Hanratty and Christopher Walken - who received SAG and BAFTA nominations this week for best supporting actor for his role as Frank Sr.

It launches in multiple European territories this weekend, including Germany, Austria, Iceland, Turkey, Italy and the UK - where Spielberg, DiCaprio, Hanks and the real Abagnale Jr attended a lavish premiere in London at the beginning of the week.

Catch Me If You Can also launched last weekend in South Korea where it claimed $2.1m (won 2.4bn), from 375,500 admissions in two days (Jan 25-26). The film is handled in South Korea by CJ Entertainment.

Other territories where UIP is currently playing the film to good results include Mexico (where it has taken $7m in four weeks), Australia ($5.9m in three), Taiwan ($2.1m in three) and New Zealand ($630,000 in three).

Catch Me If You Can has a cumulative gross of $145m to date in North America since opening on Christmas Day 2002. The international tally currently stands at $20m from six territories.