The prehistoric pachyderms of 20th Century Fox's Ice Age: The Meltdown weren't in any danger of extinction as the animated hit easily hung on to the top spot in its second weekend of release. While three new wide releases -- Sony Pictures' The Benchwarmers, New Line Cinema's Take the Lead and MGM's Lucky Number Slevin -- elbowed their way into the top five, Meltdown won the survival of the fittest by taking in an estimated $34.5 million to bring its North American haul to date to $116.4 million, becoming the year's first $100 million-plus release, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Together, the top 12 films grossed an estimated $105.1 million, up 33% over the comparable weekend last year, when Paramount Pictures' desert adventure Sahara topped the listings with an opening weekend of $18.1 million and Dimension's Sin City, in its second weekend, took in $14.2 million. The upsurge marks the third consecutive weekend in which boxoffice has been up compared with the previous year.

Lacking strong family-film competition and buoyed by traditional holiday periods, 20th Century Fox International's Ice Age: The Meltdown dominated internationally for the second weekend in a row, grossing a whopping $93 million at 8,125 screens in 48 markets. The $93 million weekend estimate -- nearly double the first weekend figure -- brings the international boxoffice total for the animation smash to about $156 million. Meltdown is well on its way to surpassing the $206.8 million international gross mark set by 2003's original Ice Age. The sequel's weekend numbers were fired by often record-setting openings in 19 new territories plus exceptionally muscular results in holdover markets. In Europe, Meltdown raked in $12.5 million in France at 858 screens; set an all-time opening-weekend record in Austria with $2.9 million at 120 locations; emerged as the second-highest animation title ever to play the U.K. with $16.9 million (including previews) at 500 screens; and looks to be Fox's biggest weekend opening ever in Germany ($17 million, including previews, at 1,061 screens).

Ice Age: The Meltdown was released March 31st, 2006 and stars Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Queen Latifah, Will Arnett, Jay Leno. The film is directed by Carlos Saldanha.