1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (opened 11/07/08)Debut: $63.5 million  2. WALL-E (6/27/08)Debut: $63.1 million Total : $223 million  3. Kung Fu Panda (6/6/08)Debut: $60.2 million Total: $215 million  4. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (3/14/08)Debut: $45 million Total: $155 million  5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (8/15/08)Debut: $14.6 million Total: $35 million  Source: Nielsen EDI/Box Office Mojo  By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY  Make way for the menagerie.  The talking critters from Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa devoured the competition at theaters over the weekend, taking in $63.5 million, according to studio estimates from box-office tracking firm Nielsen EDI.  The debut was $10 million more than most analysts predicted and marked the sixth-largest animated debut and the biggest opening of the year for an animated film.  If projections hold, it will supplant WALL·E, which bowed to $63.1 million this summer. The biggest animated opening belongs to last year's Shrek the Third, which opened with $121.6 million.  Still, Madagascar helped propel Hollywood into the holiday season with the third straight weekend of ticket sales that eclipsed last year's. Sales were up 80% from last weekend and 32% from the same weekend in 2007.  "This was exactly how studios wanted to head into the holidays, with momentum," says Jeff Bock of industry tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. Other than summer, the holidays are Hollywood's most lucrative season, sometimes accounting for 15% of business in only six weeks.  The sequel earned stronger reviews than the 2005 original; about 60% of critics gave the new film a thumbs-up, compared with 55% for the first movie, according to review aggregator rottentomatoes.com. And families turned out en masse; DreamWorks Animation research shows about 60% of moviegoers were parents and children.  "I think people in the country were looking for a reason to laugh and lighten up," says Anne Globe, head of marketing for DreamWorks Animation.  While Pixar Studios has made a name with hyper-realistic renditions of humans and animals (Finding Nemo, WALL·E), DreamWorks has carved a niche for its caricatures. (The studio also had Kung Fu Panda this year.)  "Madagascar plays very strongly on the physical nature of the comedy, so it has a more cartoony nature to it," Globe says. "We're not trying to emulate a real lion, giraffe or zebra. We have animals that can walk on their hind legs, and people love that."  Among the movie's other high marks:  •The biggest non-summer opening of the year, replacing Cloverfield's $46.1 million in January.  •The best debuts for voice stars Ben Stiller and Chris Rock.  Madagascar wasn't the only winner for the weekend. There was plenty left over for Role Models. The raunchy comedy also exceeded expectations, taking in $19.3 million, about $7 million more than projected.  High School Musical 3: Senior Year continues to chug along. The latest installment of the Disney franchise was third with $9.3 million, lifting its total to $75.7 million.  The Angelina Jolie drama Changeling was fourth with $7.3 million, while the Kevin Smith comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno rounded out the top 5 with $6.5 million.  The other major newcomer, the Bernie Mac comedy Soul Men, was sixth with $5.6 million, $3 million below expectations.  Final figures are due Monday.  You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference.
Zoo animals and reprobates cashed in at the box office this weekend as Hollywood continued its unusually strong fall.