Transformers 4 Destroys Global Box Office

The fourth instalment of Michael Bay's Transformers movie franchise has laid waste to the global box office - despite not having opened in most of Europe yet.

Transformers: Age Of Extinction took £176m worldwide on its opening weekend - nearly 10 times the amount earned by its closest rival - with £50m of that in China alone.

Rentrak's figures put How To Train Your Dragon 2 as the second most-popular movie of the weekend worldwide, on a paltry £18m by comparison.

The news Transformers film also took £58m in the US - scoring the biggest opening weekend of the year so far there.

And its closest rival there was 22 Jump Street, although the bromantic comedy was way off the pace with £9.4m takings.