By Franck Tabouring

Weekend of May 2 - 4

Marvel Studios' action hit “Iron Man” soared past “Speed Racer” and took the trophy at the North American box office with a stunning $50.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.  

Paramount’s comic book adaptation took the No. 1 spot for the second straight weekend, lifting its domestic total to $177.1 million after only two weeks in release. Directed by Jon Favreau, “Iron Man” stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, a weapons manufacturer who turns into a superhero by building an armor-plated suit.

New entry “Speed Racer” ranked in second at the finish line with a weekend gross of $20.2 million. Released by Warner Bros. and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the film stars Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer, a talented driver who plans to take down the ruthless moguls who keep manipulating races and bribing drivers.

Following closely at No. 3 with $20 million was “What Happens in Vegas,” the weekend’s only other wide release. The Tom Vaughan-directed summer comedy stars Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz as two strangers forced to live together after spontaneously getting married in Las Vegas.

Down to No. 2, Sony’s romantic comedy “Made of Honor” earned $7.6 million in ticket sales, reaching a cumulative gross of $26.2 million. Helmed by Paul Weiland and starring Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan, the film focuses on a man who plans to crash his best friend’s wedding and she asks him to be his maid of honor.

Meanwhile, Universal’s “Baby Mama” slipped to fifth place this weekend, collecting $5.7 million from 2,627 sites. Starring Tina Fey as an infertile businesswoman who hires Amy Poehler as her surrogate, the film brought its total haul to $40.3 million after three weeks in release.

At No. 6, Universal’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” pulled $3.7 million, lifting its cumulative gross to $50.7 million. Following in seventh place was “Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay” with a weekend gross of $3.1 million. The New Line Cinema comedy brought its domestic total to $30.7 million after a solid three-week run.  

Lionsgate’s action spectacle “The Forbidden Kingdom” tumbles to No. 8 with $1.9 million from admissions at 1,724 locations. Starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, the film centers on an American teenager who’s thrust into a magical world to free an imprisoned king.

Summit Entertainment’s adventure “Nim’s Island” dropped to ninth place with $1.3 million, followed by David Mamet’s thriller “Redbelt,” which expanded to 1,379 theaters this weekend and took home $1.1 million.

Exiting the top 10 were Screen Gems’ “Prom Night” with a total of $42.8 million after a five-week run, and Sony’s drama “21” with a cumulative of $80.4 million after seven weeks in release.

Source: Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com)