Ice Age 2 still hot at the US Box office

In what was an easily predictable outcome, Ice Age sequel The Meltdown continued to flood the box office charts across the pond, washing away all comers with a $34.5 million second week. But when your competition is the new film starring David Spade and Rob Schneider, a thriller that everyone thinks is a dodgy Tarantino rip-off or a cliché-fest with Antonio Banderas teaching inner city kids to ballroom dance, the chance of an upset is low anyway.

As with last week’s opening, the animated behemoth continued to break those creative “records” – the 49% drop in this second week represents the largest for a cartoon release not opening over a thanksgiving weekend. Or something. At this rate, Uwe Boll will be able to claim a successful film because it was attended by more people with ginger hair on a Tuesday than any other film featuring Kristanna Loken as Sonic The Hedgehog.

Sixth was nabbed by Failure To Launch, which, with our supply of flight puns now almost exhausted, continues on a wing and a prayer with $4.1 million. The film has now made more than $79 million in the US alone. Seventh place went to roller-skating coming-of-age pic ATL, which hasn’t exactly become the sleeper hit it hoped, though its low budget should mean a decent return thanks to a $17.2 million US total to date.

Eight was V For Vendetta, slipping down from fifth place and now likely to creep quietly out of the charts with a disappointing $62 million earned in the States. Worldwide, the film has grabbed $76 million, hardly Spider-Man-level box office, and putting it in the middle rank of Moore adaptations - LXG earned more and From Hell was less successful. Seems there’s no accounting for taste… Ninth place went to the last of the new entries, niche comedy and English teacher’s nightmare Phat Girlz, which made $3.1 million.

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