Moviegoers embraced the dysfunctional family comedy "Meet the Fockers" for a second straight week as the star-studded sequel earned $42.8 million to retain its No. 1 slot at the weekend box office.

　　The film, which teams Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman, has grossed more than $163 million during its 12-day run, according to studio estimates.

　　The film's success could help produce record box office revenue for 2004, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the industry's tracker Exhibitor Relations.

　　"We've had a much stronger than anticipated final week of the year that helped the industry end on a high note," Dergarabedian said.

　　Unofficial figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations showed overall revenue for 2004 topped $9.4 billion, up 1.4 percent from the 2003 total of $9.27 billion.

　　Official year-end figures, as well as three-day weekend totals, were scheduled to be released Monday.

　　"Meet the Fockers" set records for the biggest gross on New Year's Eve, with $12.2 million, and on New Year's Day, with $18 million. The previous New Year's Eve record was set in 2000 by "Cast Away" with $8.5 million. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" had held the New Year's Day mark with $12.8 million.

　　With no new major releases the final weekend of 2004, "Meet the Fockers" crushed the competition, including "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," which finished in second place with $14.7 million, and "The Aviator," which earned $11.2 million for third place.

　　This weekend's top 12 films grossed an estimated $125.4 million, a 4.3 percent increase compared to $120.1 million for the same weekend last year.

　　"Meet the Fockers" saw just a 7 percent decline at the box office from its opening week. The film has attracted an older audience interested in seeing De Niro, Hoffman and Streisand, as well as younger fans who like Stiller.