'Hulk' Makes Plenty of Green on Friday

They're no doubt popping champagne corks at Marvel Studios today. The Incredible Hulk got off to a fast start on Friday, with $21 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo. That number likely means a $55 - $60 million weekend for the re-launch of the the character, easily good enough to put the film in the top position this weekend, and depending on word of mouth, could lead it to victory again next weekend. Good reviews and Friday word-of-mouth is liable to keep The Incredible Hulk moving forward this weekend, so I don't see a Sex and the City-type drop-off in business Saturday and Sunday. An even bigger surprise was the performance of Night Shyamalan's The Happening, which made $12.8 million on Friday, putting it on pace to earn roughly $35 million this weekend, unless word-of-mouth - which ought to be pretty bad in this case - makes the movie stumble. Kung-Fu Panda will sail past $100 million this week; its $10 million Friday puts the film within $7 million of that total, and as the only family-friendly flick in theaters for another two weeks, the Dreamworks 'toon should hit $150 million with absolutely no problem. You Don't Mess With the Zohan and Indiana Jones round out the top five.