'King Kong' leads Empire award noms

King Kong is leading the nominations for this year's Empire Magazine film awards.

Pete Jackson's remake of the classic is in the running for five prizes, while Pride & Prejudice, Crash, and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit all have four nominations.

For best film, King Kong takes on Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, War Of The Worlds, Crash, and Sin City.

A new best sci-fi/fantasy category pits Kong and Star Wars, against Serenity, The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire.

Pete Jackson takes on Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Joe Wright, Ron Howard and Nick Park and Steve Box for best director.

The best actor category sees competition between King Kong actor Andy Serkis, Crash's Matt Dillon, Christian Bale (Batman Begins), Viggo Mortensen (A History Of Violence) and Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory).

For best actress, Kong's love interest Naomi Watts is up against Thandie Newton (Crash), Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice), Renee Zellweger (Cinderella Man) and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby).

For best British film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Descent, The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, Pride & Prejudice, Stoned, and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire will be considered.

Empire editor-in-chief Colin Kennedy said he hoped the movie awards – the only ones decided by the British public - look at a broad spectrum of movies.

"The Oscars and the Baftas rightfully celebrate the narrow set of prestige movies released during 'awards season'," he commented. "Our show is designed to recognise movies of all genres, echoing the way ordinary filmgoers talk about movies."