Kick-Ass leads Empire Award nominations

'Kick-Ass' has been nominated for six awards at this year's Jameson Empire Awards.

The movie - starring Aaron Johnson as a comic-book fan turned self-made superhero - leads the way with nominations for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Newcomer, Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy and Best British Film in the awards voted for by the public.

Oscar favourite 'The King's Speech' starring Colin Firth as stuttering King George VI has received five nods with Christopher Nolan's 'Inception' up for four and 'The Social Network' and '127 Hours' getting three each.

The magazine's editor Mark Dinning said: "The past year has produced a truly incredible spread of movies and, as ever, the Empire readers have done us proud in their choices for this year's shortlist.

"Unlike other awards ceremonies, the Empire Academy - the tens of thousands of enthusiastic and smart voters who have contributed to this unique and savvy list - have once again rewarded the right movies, resulting in a diverse selection that reflects what cinemagoers have really taken to their hearts this past 12 months."

Aaron will compete with 'Inception' star Leonardo DiCaprio, James Franco for '127 Hours', Colin Firth for 'The King's Speech' and Jesse Eisenberg for 'The Social Network' in the Best Actor stakes while the Best Actress race will be contested by 'Black Swan's Natalie Portman, Noomi Rapace in 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', 'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter in 'The King's Speech' and Olivia Williams in 'The Ghost'.

There will also be awards for Empire Inspiration and Empire Icon at the event hosted by Irish comedian Dara O' Briain at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, on Sunday March 27.

He said: "It's a great privilege to be presenting these awards for the third time and to be in the same room as so many enormously-talented filmmakers, to whom I can pass my script about an Irish comedian who solves murders."

Full list of nominations for the 2011 Jameson Empire Awards:

Best Newcomer:

Gareth Edwards, 'Monsters'

Chloe Moretz, 'Kick-Ass'/'Let Me In'

Jaden Smith, 'The Karate Kid'

Jennifer Lawrence, 'Winter's Bone'

Mia Wasikowska, 'Alice in Wonderland'

Best Comedy:

'Four Lions'

Get Him To The Greek'

'The Other Guys'

'Easy A'

'Toy Story 3'

Best Horror:

'Let Me In'

'A Nightmare On Elm Street'

'The Last Exorcism'

'Paranormal Activity 2'

'The Crazies'

Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy:

'Inception'

'Scott Pilgrim vs The World'

'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part One'

'Kick-Ass'

'Alice In Wonderland'

Best Thriller:

'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'

'Shutter Island'

'The Town'

'Black Swan'

'127 Hours'

Best British Film:

'127 Hours'

'The King's Speech'

'Kick-Ass'

'Four Lions'

'Monsters'

Best Actor:

Leonardo DiCaprio, 'Inception'

James Franco, '127 Hours'

Colin Firth, 'The King's Speech'

Jesse Eisenberg, 'The Social Network'

Aaron Johnson, 'Kick-Ass'

Best Actress:

Natalie Portman, 'Black Swan'

Noomi Rapace, 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'

Emma Watson, 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part One'

Olivia Williams, 'The Ghost'

Helena Bonham Carter, 'The King's Speech'

Best Director:

David Fincher, 'The Social Network'

Christopher Nolan, 'Inception'

Edgar Wright, 'Scott Pilgrim vs The World'

Tom Hooper,'The King's Speech'

Matthew Vaughn, 'Kick-Ass'

Best Film:

'Inception'

'Kick-Ass'

'The Social Network'

'Scott Pilgrim vs The World'

'The King's Speech'