Peter Jackson's $200m remake of King Kong heads the nomination list for this year's Empire magazine film awards.

The film scooped nominations in five categories, including best film, best sci-fi/fantasy and best director for Jackson.

Pride & Prejudice, Crash and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, all share four nominations.

King Kong is up against War Of The Worlds, Crash, Sin City and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith in the best film category.

The Empire magazine film awards will be presented at a star-studded ceremony at the Hilton London Metropole on March 13.

In the newly introduced best sci-fi/fantasy category, King Kong faces competition from Revenge Of The Sith, Serenity, The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire.

Steven Spielberg (War Of The Worlds), Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins), Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice), Ron Howard (Cinderella Man) and Nick Park and Steve Box (The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit) join Jackson in the best director category.

Colin Kennedy, Empire editor: "The films and talent represented here reflect the popular choice, which is the choice that matters in the filmgoer's opinion and ours."

American actor Matt Dillion, who featured in Crash, has been nominated for best actor, which also includes Christian Bale, Johnny Depp and Viggo Mortensen.

Dillon's Crash co-star Thandie Newton and King Kong beauty Naomi Watts lead the nominations for the best actress award.

Serenity's Nathan Fillion has been nominated for the best newcomer award, along with Leo Gregory for Stoned, Kelly Reilly for Pride & Prejudice and Georgie Henley and James McAvoy, who both starred in The Chronicles Of Narnia.

The best thriller category features Batman Begins, The Constant Gardener, A History Of Violence, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and Sin City.

In the best comedy category, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit goes head to head with The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, The League Of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, Team America: World Police and The Wedding Crashers.

Pride & Prejudice, Stoned, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, The Goblet Of Fire and The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy are joined by The Descent in competition for the best British film.

Empire magazine's editor-in-chief, Colin Kennedy, said: "It is no longer enough to merely say that the nominations for the awards reflect the opinions of Empire magazine's readers rather than those of any industry body.

"In fact, this outstanding and diverse line-up is the only shortlist to celebrate the best movies of 2005, films that were not only widely seen by the ordinary public but cherished and remembered some months later.

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

"Think about it - what was the funniest comedy you saw recently? Or the best thriller you saw last year…? The films and talent represented here reflect the popular choice, which is the choice that matters in the filmgoer's opinion and ours."