Sequels of children's movies are inevitable and interminable. The ones about prehistoric life are particularly long lasting (witness The Land Before Time 37). Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs continued that oddly proud tradition this weekend, bringing in $42.5 million for a neck and neck competition with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen for first place. Ice Age 3 is the most expensive of the franchise so far and it made less on its opening weekend than its predecessors. If that decline continues the series is one movie away from direct-to-DVD.

While a winner between Transformers 2 and Ice Age 3 will eventually be declared once the real numbers roll in (those released on Sundays are only estimates), the clear third place movie was Public Enemies which banked a mediocre $26 million. After an early jump on Wednesday Depp's crime drama took in a total of $41 million, but it looks like it may struggle to turn much of a profit over its $100 million budget. Poor Johnny's movies always tend to make cash when he's playing a wild, off-the-wall character, but put him in a challenging dramatic role and the money just doesn't roll in.

Even if Transformers doesn't hold on to the number one spot for a second weekend in a row, it has still essentially cinched the spot as top grossing movie of the year and the second fastest cash earner of all time (falling behind to The Dark Knight), not tha Michael Bay's ego needed the boost.

UPDATE! The final numbers are in and the tie has been broken. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen wins the weekend to earn a second week at #1 with $42,320,877. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs comes in second with $41,690,382. The chart below has been updated.

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen $42,320,877 - Total: 5 $293,355,885 LW: 1 WR: 2 THTRS: 4,234

2. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs * $41,690,382 - Total: $66,732,868 LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 4,099

3. Public Enemies * $25,271,675 - Total: $40,141,080 LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3,334

4. The Proposal $12,857,482 - Total: $94,335,111 LW: 2 WR: 3 THTRS: 3,099

5. The Hangover $11,268,413 - Total: $205,038,233 LW: 3 WR: 5 THTRS: 3,070

6. Up $6,521,389 - Total: $264,816,694 LW: 4 WR: 6 THTRS: 2,656

7. My Sister's Keeper $5,788,327 - Total: $26,518,582 LW: 5 WR: 2 THTRS: 2,606

8. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 $2,534,228 - Total: $58,508,070 LW: 7 WR: 4 THTRS: 1,908

9. Year One $2,323,843 - Total: $38,304,392 LW: 6 WR: 3 THTRS: 2,240

10. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian $2,043,288 - Total: $167,706,959 LW: 9 WR: 7 THTRS: 1,419