The film stars Britain's Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba

The comic book adventure, which follows the 2005 original, took �2.2m across the three-day weekend.

The UK box office saw no movement in the top three, with Ocean's 13 holding fast at two, just ahead of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film.

"Torture porn" film Captivity, starring 24's Elisha Cuthbert, was the highest new entry in the top 10, at four.

Vacancy, starring Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson, rounded out the top five.

UK AND IRELAND BOX OFFICE 1. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - �2.25m 2. Ocean's 13 - �1.43m 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - �0.96m 4. Captivity - �0.32m 5. Vacancy - �0.31m Source: Screen International

Both films are among a spate of horror movies currently on release, with Paradise Lost and Hostel II due out on Friday.

Piaf biopic

Also new to the top 10 was La Vie En Rose, a biopic of French singer Edith Piaf, which is already winning Oscar attention for lead actress Marion Cotillard.

The actress was most recently seen opposite Russell Crowe in Sir Ridley Scott's A Good Year.

It was a good week for French film in the UK, with the Kristin Scott Thomas thriller Tell No One at number eight.

Indian drama Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and comedies Are We Done Yet? and Wedding Daze completed the top 10.