Fox International's IceAge 2: The Meltdown generated one ofthe biggest international weekends of all time with an astonishing estimated$93m haul on 8,216 screens that raised the international running total to$156m.

The animated romp scored anumber of new industry and distributor records as it sailed to the top in allits territories, led by a staggering $16.9m UK debut including previews on 502screens that posted the second biggest animated opening ever behind Shrek 2.

Elsewhere the familybehemoth opened on $17m in Germany including previews on 1,061 screens that isexpected to be the biggest animated launch ever and Fox's biggest ever openingweekend in the territory.

Ice Age 2 launched in France on $12.5m on 858 for the secondbiggest animated launch ever behind Finding Nemo, and took just over $2m in Norway including previewson 125 for the biggest ever animated launch and a new record for thedistributor.

In other all-time animatedand Fox opening marks, the picture took $2.8m in Switzerland and $1.5m in Denmarkon 93, as well as $24,000 in Trinidad. It also opened on $419,000 on 33 in theCzech Republic.

Incidentally the Denmarkrelease was Fox International's first picture ever to go out in JPEG2000, thefile compression format that complies with the standard established by theDigital Cinema Initiatives in July 2005.

Executives believe Austria's$2.9m haul is a new industry record and will confirm its status this week.

Australia produced a mighty$3.8m on 388, while $556,000 in New Zealand on 70 was enough for the biggestever Fox opening and a new April record. Indonesia generated $169,000 for thesecond biggest animated opening of all time.

Second weekend holdoverswere mighty. Russia added 5.1m on 459 for $15.8m, and Mexico scored the alltime biggest second weekend on $4.9m on 1,112 for $17.6m.

Brazil also produced thebiggest second weekend ever of $3.7m on 565 following a tiny 4% drop for a $9mrunning total. Spain added $4.6m on 450 for $12.3m.

Argentina also produced thebiggest second weekend on $993,000 on 132 for $2.9m. Receipts in Belgium climbed6% on $1.5m on 120 for $3.5m, while Chile generated Fox's biggest ever secondweekend on $731,000 on 77 for $2.3m.

Latest figures put Fox's BigMomma's House 2 on $60.5m throughall distributors, while Date Movie has amassed $24.2m. The Pink Panther added $2m for $70.3m.

Basic Instinct 2 added $5.8m on 3,452 screens through Intermedia/C2 frommore than 40 territories. The international running total was unavailable attime of writing.

Universal's heist thriller InsideMan opened in five more territories throughUIP this weekend including an excellent number one Italian launch that produced$1.8m from 275 sites.

It was Universal's biggestopening in Italy for the year so far, generating some 10% more than the debutsof Munich and The Bourne Supremacy.

Overall Inside Man added $8.1m from 2,100 sites in 32 territories and raisedthe international cumulative tally to $35m.

The picture ranked numbertwo in the UK after adding $1.4m from 334 for $9m after three weekends. Germanyranks second and took $900,000 from 300 for $5.7m after the same amount oftime.

Australia also ranks secondon $3.1m after two weekends, while New Zealand generated a third place debut on$100,000 from 40 sites.

Universal recorded itsbiggest opening of the year in Argentina as $195,000 from 44 was good enoughfor second place.

Inside Man held on to second place in Brazil and has amassed$2.2m after three weekends, while Mexico has generated $2.3m after the same amountof time. There are 22 more territories to open including France and Spain nextweekend.

The family picture NannyMcPhee opened in Mexico in fourthplace on $330,000 from 200 sites, fifth place in Spain on $630,000 from 226, andseventh place in Italy through Eagle on $400,000 from 197.

Overall the picture added$1.6m from 1,000 sites in 36 territories for a fine $65m tally that includes $5.3mfrom France. There are 12 more territories to open including Japan on Apr 15.

Pride And Prejudice added $800,000 from 300 venues in 20 territories foran impressive $79.5m including $3.2m from France.

Paramount's romantic comedy FailureTo Launch generated $3m from 1,445 sitesin 20 territories through UIP, raising the international running total to$18.2m.

It opened on $329,000 in 100venues in South Korea, and took $182,000 from 49 in its opening weekend inHolland

Italy produced a decent$460,000 holdover in 193 sites for $1.4m, while the UK stands at $3.6m andGermany stands at $4.7m.

Warner Bros PicturesInternational's V For Vendetta added$5.1m from approximately 2,000 prints in 41 markets, raising the tally to $32.1m.

The action picture opened insecond place in Spain on $1.5m and 223,000 admissions from 303 prints, andsecond place in Brazil on $388,000 and 90,000 admissions from 100 prints.

In its second weekend VFor Vendetta added $690,000 from 202prints, dropping 42$ for a $2.3m cumulative total. The thriller Firewall added $2.6m from approximately 1,990 prints from 21markets for a $22.5m running total.

Buena Vista International's TheChronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe grossed $3.1mm to raise the international runningtotal to $442.7m and the global tally to $734m.

Adventure Eight Below added $1.5m for $9.6m, led by a number one Taiwanesedebut on $310,000 on 17 screens.

Sony Pictures ReleasingInternational (SPRI) opened The Producers in Japan, traditionally a strong market for musicals, and the picture took$1.1m on 250 screens for an $11.5m international running total.

SPRI launched the familycomedy Yours, Mine And Ours openedin second place in Mexico on $830,000.