The fourth installment of the U.S. spoof film "Scary Movie" managed to open atop the North American box office over the weekend with sizable ticket sales.

"Scary Movie 4" earned 41 million U.S. dollars in the three days beginning April 14, setting a new record for the Easter weekend, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

It was the best Easter weekend debut ever, beating the 30.1-million-dollar opening of "Panic Room" in 2002.

"Scary Movie 4" co-distributor, the Weinstein Co., said the opening exceeded its expectations, which were in the high-30-million-dollar range. It marks the first chart-topper for the new company founded by the former Miramax bosses.

But the latest "Scary" spoof was behind the 2003 "Scary Movie 3" with 48.1 million dollars and the 2000 original with 42.3 million dollars. "Scary Movie 2" opened with just 20.5 million dollars in 2001.

"We have a formula that works," says Bob Weinstein, co-founder of the Weinstein Co., launched last year by Miramax Films founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein after they split with Miramax's Disney parent.

"There are plenty of scary movies to make fun of every year, and pop culture references keep it fresh," he said.

To the likely chagrin of critics, who lamented its unsophisticated humor, Weinstein said plans are afoot for a fifth film.

The weekend's other new wide release, Disney's animated tale "The Wild," debuted at No. 4 with 9.6 million dollars.

The animated hit "Ice Age: The Meltdown," which had been No. 1 the previous two weekends, slipped to second place with 20 million dollars, raising its total to 147.2 million dollars.

Editor: Donald