By Franck Tabouring

Weekend of June 13 – 15, 2008

“The Incredible Hulk” shattered its competition and seized the No. 1 spot at the North American box office this weekend with $54.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Marvel’s comic book adaptation, which stars Edward Norton as a scientist who transforms into a green giant when he’s consumed by his anger, defeated last week’s box office champion “Kung Fu Panda,” which slipped to second place with $34.3 million.

DreamWorks Animation’s family adventure, about a lazy panda who must learn the basics of kung fu, brought its domestic total to $117.9 million after a stunning two-week run. Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, the film features the voices of Jack Black, Ian McShane and Dustin Hoffman.

Debuting in third place with $30.5 million was M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening,” a mystery thriller about a sudden event that threatens mankind. Slammed by critics nationwide, the film performed better than Shyamalan’s previous film “Lady in the Water,” which opened with $18 million in 2006.

Sony’s “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” dropped to No. 4 this weekend, earning $16.4 million from ticket sales at 3,466 locations. The Dennis Dugan-directed comedy starring Adam Sandler lifted its cumulative gross to $68.7 million after two weeks in release.

Steven Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” collected $13.5 million in fifth place, reaching a total haul of $275.3 million. Starring Harrison Ford in the role of the titular character, “Crystal Skull” is now the highest grossing film in the series.

At No. 6, New Line Cinema’s chick flick “Sex and the City” took home $10.1 million, bringing its domestic total to $119.9 million after a solid three-week run. Directed by Michael Patrick King, the film stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, who shares the ups and downs of her Manhattan life with her best friends Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon).

Paramount Pictures’ success hit “Iron Man” tumbled to No. 7 with a weekend gross of $5.1 million and a cumulative of $297.4 million, while Universal’s horror thriller “The Strangers” slipped to eighth place with weekend revenues of $4 million and a domestic total of $45.3 million.

Two films rounded out the top 10 this weekend: “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” at No. 9 with $3 million, and 20th Century Fox’s romantic comedy “What Happens in Vegas” with $1.7 million at No. 10.

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