Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth installment in Fox’s popular kids series took the top spot at the North American box office over the weekend, hauling in $46 million.

While the movie was not as successful as its first three featuresChris Aronson, Fox president of domestic distribution said his team was happy with the results:

“This is the third sequel in a very successful franchise, and we couldn’t be happier. We had a bigger opening weekend than we had with the last one, and it’s going to be phenomenally successful. We’re on pace to gross probably close to $800 million worldwide, and to do that with the fourth movie in an animated series in remarkable.”

Ice Age’s biggest draw has been from overseas audiences. 2009′s Dawn of the Dinosaurs managed to rake in $886.7 million, 78% which came from overseas crowds.

Over the same weekend Ice Age: Continental Drift raked in $95 million internationally. Internationally the fourth Ice Age movie has already grossed $320.4 million with a worldwide take of $385 million.

Ice Age was the only major wide release over the weekend and muscled its way into 3,881 theaters across North America. Ice Age defeated The Amazing Spider-Man which dropped 44 percent for a second place $35 million The Amazing Spider-Man has now raked in $521.5 million when international totals are added into the mix.

While Ice Age hasn’t done as well as 2006’s Ice Age: The Meltdown which took in $68 million during its opening weekend, it has nearly matched the 2002 original movie which scored $46.3 million during its opening weekend.

The Ice Age series has watched as each movie has grossed between $176.4 million and the last’s $196.6 million domestically.

In third place was Seth McFarlane’sTed which earned $22.1 million for a total domestic haul of $159, not bad for an R-rated comedy about Mark Wahlberg and a teddy bear that swears.

‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ Wins Weekend Box Office As ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ Holds Strong is a post from: The Inquisitr