Marvel's latest superhero movie The Incredible Hulk opened its first weekend with a better than expected $54.5 million, standing in at the first place at the North America Box Office.

The previous Hulk directed by Ang Lee in 2003, earned $62.1 million on its opening weekend generating a total of $132.2 million.

The most recent Marvel production, Iron Man distributed by Paramount, was released on May 2 and opened with $98.6 million the first weekend.

Financed by Marvel Studios and distributed by Universal Pictures, the action film stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, a scientist seeking for an antidote for The Incredible Hulk which is his himself after transformation. The cast is also joined by Liv Tayler who is in love with Banner, alongsideTim Roth and William Hurt who are the villains.

At the second place of the box office this weekend was the animated movieKung Fu Panda with $34.3 million followed by The Happening which opened with $30.5 million.