Hulk smash puny US box office!

It was a case of action versus horror this weekend across the pond as The Incredible Hulk’s big guy took on M Night Shyamalan’s latest chiller.

Bruce Banner (and Marvel) emerged the victor as Hulk snapped up $54.5 million, which is a decent opening, but still less than Ang Lee’s angsty 2003 effort and hardly a solid franchise kick-off given the movie’s $150 million budget.

In second place, Kung Fu Panda held up well in its second week, taking in $34.4 million, which meant that M Night Shyamalan’s latest had to settle for third. Still, given some truly dodgy buzz, a $30.5 million opening is a lot more respectable than many predicted. At fourth we find You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, as Adam’s Sandler’s new comedy tumbled down 57%. That put it ahead (in the charts, at least) of Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, which sat in fifth and has made $275 million in the US alone to date.

Sex And The City notched its way past $120 million in sixth place, while Iron Man took in $5.1 million in seventh, which puts it less than three million shy of $300 million in the States. It should pass that in the next week or so. At eighth, The Strangers continued to chug on, nabbing $4.1 million for a $45 million total.

Finally, at the bottom of the charts, we find Prince Caspian lingering with $131 million at ninth and What Happens In Vegas at 10th with $75 million so far.

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