Ice Age 2: The Meltdown was due to cross $350m by the end of the week andFox International executives expect it to remain the dominant tile heading intothe three-day weekend.

Strong holdovers in allmarkets will add considerably to the $349m international running total reportedby the close of Apr 27. China will be the last market to open in June.

The sequel has overtaken2002's Ice Age by a huge margin. Thatpicture finished on $206.3m internationally and grossed $382.7m worldwide. IceAge 2: The Meltdown currently standsat nearly $520m worldwide.

Other Fox Internationalreleases include comedy Date Movie,which stands at $27.2m in France on Apr 26, and The Pink Panther, currently on $73.5m, in India on Apr 28. Panther goes out in its final market of Japan in May.

Latest cumulative totals putBig Momma's House 2 on $62.6mrising to $65m through all distributors, and The Hills Have Eyes on $13.1m.

Buena Vista International(BVI) is giving its adventure title Eight Below a push this weekend as it launches in six markets,including France on Apr 27, and Brazil and Spain a day later. It stands at $16.2m.

Animated title The Wild goes out in Hong Kong on Apr 27 and Russia and SouthAfrica on Apr 28 and has grossed $18m to date.

BVI's biggest performer ofthe weekend is likely to be Dimension Films' Scary Movie 4, which should rely on strong holds to build on its$30.1m international running total.

Basic Instinct 2, which BVI has for Latin America, opens this weekendin the key market of Mexico on Apr 28. The erotic thriller sequel has taken$1.5m from BVI's markets.

Bambi 2 opens in Germany on Apr 27 and has taken $31.5m sofar, while The Shaggy Dog standsat $14.5m.

Morgan Creek/Universal's TwoFor The Money opens in Italy on Apr28 through UIP, while Universal's satirical comedy American Dreamz launches in Australia on Apr 27. Both are in theearly stages of release.

Sony Pictures ReleasingInternational (SPRI) opens Hostel inGermany on Apr 27 on 200 prints and the horror title has grossed $26.9m to date.

Family title Yours, MineAnd Ours also opens in Germany onthe same day on 120 prints and stands at $13m. Comedy remake Fun With DickAnd Jane has grossed $91.4m.

The thriller Firewall opens through Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI)in Italy on Apr 28; it has taken more than $29.5m (including Roadshowterritories).

V For Vendetta has grossed more than $45.2m and Syriana stands at $43.3m.