In a ringing endorsement of its global day-and-date releasestrategy, Warner Bros and Village Roadshow's The Matrix Revolutions has set a new record for a worldwide five-day openingweekend with a massive $204.1m, according to studio estimates.

The spectacular bow beats the previous best of approximately $188m set by NewLine's The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers in 2002.

The final instalment in the Wachowski Brothers' sci-fi trilogy went onunprecedented day-and date release in 107 markets last Wednesday (5) and scoredthe biggest international weekend ever on $118.6m.

Combined with the $85.5m five-day haul in the US, the film's openingrepresents a resounding success for the studio, which orchestrated globalcurtain raisers at the same time in major cities around the world.

Revolutions grossed $14.9m in theUK, $14.8m in Japan, $11.2m in France, $8m in Germany, $6.3m in Spain, $6.2m inItaly, $5.5m in Australia and $5.2m in Korea.

In other significant markets it grossed $4.8m in Russia and $1.5 million inChina.

The film opened simultaneously at 6am in Los Angeles, 9am in New York, 2pm inLondon, 5pm in Moscow and 11 pm in Tokyo, among others.

Revolutions went out on approximately 18,000 prints and, inanother 'first', opened simultaneously on 60 IMAX screensworldwide.

"It required the unparalleled efforts of our international teams on sixcontinents to bring this film to 107 markets simultaneous to its release in theUnited States and Canada," VeronikaKwan-Rubinek, president of international distribution at Warner Bros Pictures,said in a statement.

"It is extremely gratifying to see these terrific numbers reflect theimpact of everyone's efforts worldwide."

Revolutions will now set itssights on overtaking the $737.9mworldwide running total of The Matrix Reloaded.

Reloaded, the second episode inthe trilogy, opened on May 15 and is thebiggest film of 2003, the highest R-rated release ever in the domestic andinternational arenas, the 10th biggest international release of all time andthe first film in international history to gross more than £100m in asingle weekend.