"Ice Age: Continental Drift" raked in $16.5 million on its first day of release Friday and is on target to be the top weekend box-office hit with $45 million.
That will put it on par with the first "Ice Age," which opened to $46.3 million in 2002 (without the benefit of 3D ticket prices). 2006's "Ice Age: The Meltdown" opened to a stellar $68 million, while 2009's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" opened to the more-in-line $41 million.
In its third week, Universal's "Ted" is still talking a good game. It brought in $6.8 million from 3,303 locations and is looking at a $21 million three-day total. Meanwhile, "Amazing Spider-Man" dropped to No. 2 with another $10.3 million. The Sony updated version has so far earned an impressive $176 million.
Its big box office days are numbered, because Warner Brothers mega sequel "The Dark Knight Rises" opens next Friday. While "Amazing" will certainly pass the $200 million mark at home, it likely won't earn as much as the previous "Spider-Man" pictures.
"Continental Drift" will come in under two animated films that preceded it this summer. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" opened to $60 million and "Brave," which debuted with a $66 million weekend.
Warner Bros.' "Magic Mike" did $3.4 million Friday and is looking at a roughly $9 million third week.
Universal's "Savages" was about $2.7 million on Friday. That puts Oliver's Stone's drug trade thriller on pace for a weekend of about $8.7 million.
Disney's animated hit "Brave" rounds out the top five, adding $3.2 million to its domestic gross of $188.1 million.
Watch Ice Age 4: Continental Drift - Official Trailer 2012:
