'Ice Age 3' pushes Fox past $1B mark overseas (SCR, VAR, THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione

With a boost from this weekend's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," 20th Century Fox International has become the first distributor to hit the $1 billion mark at the overseas box office this year. The third "Ice Age" film debuted abroad to $151.7 million in the highest-grossing animated opening ever overseas. It had grossed $190 million through Tuesday.

Also contributing to Fox's fortunes this summer are "Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian," which has thus far taken in $207.2 million internationally and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which has brought in $184.7 million abroad. Neither film has yet to open in Japan.

Fox International co-president Paul Hanneman said 2009 promised to be a banner year for the company with "Alvin And The Chipmunks 2" and "Avatar" yet to open.

Also notable is the extraordinary performance of "Se Eu Fosse Voce 2" in Brazil which has earned $21.7 million to become the second highest grossing film of all time in that territory behind Fox's own "Titanic."

Last year, Paramount was the first to reach $1 billion while Fox hit the mark on July 5. This year, the studio was first to $1 billion on July 4.

Domestically, however, Paramount is the current market-share leader, having crossed the $1 billion mark during the weekend with "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" reaching $300 million faster than any film save "The Dark Knight."

Sony's "Angels and Demons" remains the top foreign grosser of the year at $344 million.

Warner Bros. will also likely jump the $1 billion mark internationally.