The Two Towers, the second instalment in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, has taken the lead in the race for this year's Empire magazine film awards.

The movie picked up seven nominations in six categories, including best film, two for best British actor, best director, best actor and actress.

The nominees and winners for the Empire film awards in London on 5 February are voted for by the cinema-going public.

Last year, the Fellowship of the Ring, the first Lord of the Rings film, won three trophies, including best film, which it shared with Moulin Rouge.

Tom Cruise is nominated for Minority Report

This year, The Two Towers could face competition from Minority Report, which picked up six nods, including best film.

Also competing for best film will be Road to Perdition, which accumulated three nods.

In the best British actor category, Lord of the Rings stars Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will do battle with Jude Law for Road to Perdition.

Also nominated are Hugh Grant for About A Boy and Steve Coogan for 24 Hour Party People.

Best scene

In the best actor category, the Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen is up against Tom Hanks for Road to Perdition and Mike Myers for Austin Powers: Goldmember.

Also nominated are Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell, both for Minority Report.

New face: Two Towers actress Miranda Otto

In the best British actress category, Helen Mirren is up against Kelly Macdonald for their roles in Gosford Park.

The other contenders include Miranda Otto for The Two Towers and Jennifer Connelly for A Beautiful Mind.

And in the best director group, Lord of the Rings' Peter Jackson faces Sam Raimi for Spiderman and Steven Spielberg for Minority Report.

The best scene of the year is a new category and sees Gollum's heated debate with himself from The Two Towers competing with the spider search in Minority Report.

Another new award for 2003 is for best British film. The nominees include About A Boy, 28 Days Later, The Guru, Bend it Like Beckham and 24 Hour Party People.