AceShowbiz -

The tap-dancing fever apparently still circulates heavily around the moviegoers as "Happy Feet" gloriously extends its rule on the weekend U.S box office for a third straight week, paving its way to be the one most profitable animated features of the year for sure.

Sold $17.5 million worth of tickets in the three days beginning December 1, the prancing penguin toon once again successfully bests its rival "Casino Royale" which stays firmly as the runner-up with $15.1 million to make a three-week haul of $115.9 million.

"Those films have really captured the marketplace," president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers Paul Dergarabedian commented. "I've never really seen two movies define the start of a holiday season in the way these two have."

Also manages to hold its last-week position is time-bending thriller "Deja Vu" following its success to pull $10.9 million, raising its ten-day total to $44 million so far. "The Nativity Story" and "Deck the Halls" come up next to round out the top five; the former, a newcomer, opens at $7.8 million while the latter one makes its way to garner $6.6 million.

Finishes on the sixth spot is "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" for its fair attempt to add another $4.8 million into its pocket followed by mockumentary comedy flick "Borat" which is able to score $4.7 million and another new release, "Turistas", after a modest opening of $3.5 million. Lining up behind to make the big ten are Columbia Pictures' dramedy "Stranger Than Fiction" and MGM's "Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj" with respective income of $3.3 million and $2.3 million.