Inbetweeners sets box-office benchmark for UK comedy

James Buckley, Simon Bird, Joe Thomas and Blake Harrison (l to r) star in The Inbetweeners Movie

The spin-off from E4's The Inbetweeners has recorded the biggest ever opening for a UK-produced comedy, according to industry paper Screen Daily.

Between Wednesday and Sunday it took £13.2m, putting it comfortably on top of the UK and Ireland box office chart.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason held the previous record for highest opening by a UK comedy.

According to the producers of The Inbetweeners Movie, that film took £10.4m in its first weekend in 2004.

The Inbetweeners Movie has enjoyed the second biggest debut so far this year in the UK and Ireland, behind the final Harry Potter film.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 made £23m in its opening weekend when it opened in July.

Producer Chris Young said he was "thrilled" the film - about four teens who celebrate leaving school by going on holiday - had done so well.

"We really want to thank all the cinemagoers out there who have made the film such a huge success," he said.

Screen Daily said the Entertainment Film Distributors release also had the biggest ever opening for a UK independent production.

The Inbetweeners Movie knocked last week's number one film, fantasy prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes, into second place.

Daniel Craig's latest film Cowboys and Aliens debuted in third place with a disappointing tally of £1.7m.

Two other new releases, Spy Kids: All The Time In The World 4D and Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, made their chart debuts at six and nine respectively.