Michael Keaton stars as an architect in White Noise

The Michael Keaton thriller took �1.78m in its first week in the UK, box office tracker Screen International said.

Despite poor reviews Alexander, starring Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie, made �1.2m in its debut week.

The Aviator, in which Leonardo DiCaprio plays US billionaire Howard Hughes, leapt 10 places up the UK and Ireland chart to number three.

UK BOX OFFICE CHART 1. White Noise 2. Alexander 3. The Aviator 4. The Incredibles 5. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Source: Screen International

Set between the 1920s and 1930s, the film has been nominatedfor a raft of Golden Globe awards and DiCaprio is widely tippedto secure his first Oscar nomination for best actor.