Fans of action, dark science fiction and racing lined up this past weekend to ensure Death Race crosses the finish line in first place for genre movies.

With a total take of just over $12.6 million in 2,532 theatres, the film was No. 3 overall, bested by comedies, Tropic Thunder and The House Bunny. 

Race also  knocked mega-blockbuster Dark Knight to second place among genre films.

The only other sci fi flick to debut this weekend was Cthulhu, a gay-themed independent horror film from Regent Releasing starring Tori Spelling. In limited release, the film brought in $1,438 in one theatre. (That may seem rather dismal, but compare it to the No. 5 film of the week, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which made $1,640 per theatre.

Debuting next week in genre is the Vin Diesel science fiction thriller, Babylon A.D. which will be in wide release in 3,200 theatres in North America.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 22-24, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (3) Death Race - $12.6 million | $12.6 million [$45 million]
2. (4) The Dark Knight - $10.5 million | $489.4 million [$185 million]
3. (5) Star Wars: The Clone Wars - $5.7 million | $25.0 million [budget unreported]
4. (7) Mirrors - $5.0 million | $20.2 million [budget unreported]
5. (9) The Mummy: Dragon Emperor -$4.2 million | $93.9 million [$145 million]
6. (15) Journey to the Center of the Earth - $2.2 million | $91.9 million [$60 million]
7. (16) Fly Me to the Moon - $1.4 million | $4.2 million [$25 million]
8. (17) WALL-E - $0.97 million | $216.3 million [$180 million]
9. (19) Hancock - $0.64 million | $226.4 million [$150 million]
10. (20) Kung Fu Panda - $0.58 million | $212.7 million [$130 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

After more than a month as the top-grossing film in theatres, The Dark Knight was knocked aside as box office king this past weekend by Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder, a non-genre comedy.

Still, out of Genre films, the latest Batman installment reigned supreme, finishing second overall with a weekend take of just under $17 million, bringing the film's North American haul to $471.5 million ($735 million worldwide).

Weekend sales pushed Dark Knight to the No. 2 all-time box office champion, passing the original Star Wars: Episode 4' s gross of $461 million (including sales from Star Wars' recent re-releases).

Speaking of Star Wars. the animated film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, also made history this weekend. It is the first Star Wars film not to debut as No. 1 in box office sales with $15.5 million in tickets sold. The other animated kiddie flick debuting this weekend, the 3-D Fly Me to the Moon sold $2 million in tickets.

Gore horror flick, Mirrors, starring Kiefer Sutherland bowed in with more than $11 million in ticket sales despite negative reviews from critics. 

Rounding out new genre releases is the religious-themed Luke Wilson film, Henry Poole is Here, which opened in limited release and sold $800 thousand in tickets over the weekend.

Movies dropping out of the Genre Top 10: Hellboy 2, Wanted, Get Smart and The X-FIles 2.

Genre films set to debut next week: The Tom Cruise-produced Death Race, a re-imagining of the 1970s drive-in campy grind house classic, Death Race 2000. starring Jason Statham and Joan Allen.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 15-17, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (2) The Dark Knight - $16.8 million | $471.5 million [$185 million]
2. (3) Star Wars: The Clone Wars - $15.5 million | $15.5 million [unknown budget]
3. (4) Mirrors - $11.1 million | $11.1 million [unknown budget]
4. (6) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - $8.6 million | $86.6 million [$145 million]
5. (11) Journey to the Center of the Earth - $3.5 million | $88.1 million [$60 million]
6. (12) Fly Me to the Moon - $2.0 million } $2.0 million [$25 million]
7. (13) WALL-E - $1.84 million | $214.1 million [$180 million]
8. (14) Hancock - $1.80 million | $225 million [$150 million]
9. (16) Space Chimps - $0.82 million | $27.6 million [$37 million]
10. (17) Henry Poole is Here - $0.80 million | $0.80 million [unknown budget]

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

The Dark Knight extended its reign to a month atop the weekend box office this past week. It brought in more than $26 million in ticket sales in its fourth weekend. Its grand total domestic take of $441.5 million has the film as the No. 3 all-time money maker in Hollywood and it should pass Star Wars to be come No. 2 by the end of August.

No new sci fi flicks debuted this past weekend. But in the upcoming weekend three new genre films are set to debut: the horror film, Mirrors, the animated space opera, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the animated children's science fantasy, Fly Me to the Moon.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 8-10, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (1) The Dark Knight - $26.0 million | $441.5 million [$185 million]
2. (3) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - $16.1 million | $70.7 million [$145 million]
3. (7) Journey to the Center of the Earth - $4.9 million | $81.8 million [$60 million]
4. (8) Hancock - $3.3 million | $221.7 million [$150 million]
5. (10) WALL-E - $3.0 million | $210.1 million [$180 million]
6. (11) Space Chimps - $1.7 million | $25.4 million [$37 million]
7. (12) Hellboy 2 - $1.3 million | $73.5 million [$85 million]
8. (13) The X-Files: I Want to Believe - $1.2 million | 19.6 million [$30 million]
9. (15) Wanted - $0.7 million | $132.6 million [$75 million]
10. (16) Get Smart - $0.5 million | $127.4 million [$80 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

The modern - and moody - spy fi re-telling comic book adaptation of Batman, The Dark Knight fought  off hordes of mummies to continued its reign as the box office weekend royalty this past weekend.

Dark Knight  brought in just under $44 million in ticket sales in its third weekend - besting horror comedy newcomer, The Mummy:Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, starring Brendan Fraser. Mummy brought in $42.5 million in its first weekend and debuted in the No. 2 spot.

Last week's debut genre title, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, landed at No. 6 on the Genre Top 10 list (No. 9 overall.) with $3.4 million in ticket sales.

To make room for Mummy animated fantasy comedy Kung Fu Panda dropped out of the genre Top 10 after being a mainstay for the past 8 weeks. So far in its run, Panda brought in more than $210 million in North American sales alone on a $130 million budget; almost ensuring that a sequel will be made.

No genre films are set to debut next week, so this list is expected to largely be unchanged for the second weekend of August.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of August 1 -3, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (1) The Dark Knight - $43.8 million | $394.9 million [$185 million]
2. (2) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - $42.5 million | $2.5 million ($145 million)
3. (5) Journey to the Center of the Earth - $6.9 million } $73.1 million ($60 million)
4. (7) Hancock - $5.2 million | $216 million ($150 million)
5. (8) WALL-E - $4.7 million | $204 million ($180 million)
6. (9) The X-Files: I Want to Believe - $3.4 million | $17 million ($30 million)
7. (10) Space Chimps - $2.8 million | $22 million ($37 million)
8. (11) Hellboy II: The Golden Army - $2.5 million | $71.3 million ($85 million)
9. (12) Wanted - $1.3 million | $131 million ($75 million)
10. (14) Get Smart - $1.2 million | $127 million ($80 million)

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

The latest Batman flick. The Dark Knight continued its reign at the box office this past weekend. It brought in more than $75.6 million in ticket sales in its second weekend - more than the next five top-grossing films combined.

The only sci fi flick to debut this weekend was The X-Files: I Want to Believe, which debuted at No. 2 on the genre movie list and No. 4 overall with just over $10 million.

To make room for X-Files, Eddie Murphy flick Meet Dave dropped out of the genre Top 10 after making slightly more than $10 million in North American sales. With a $60 million budget - a movie this unprofitable almost ensures a sequel for this will never see the light of day.

Genre films set to debut next week: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is set for wide release and Clive Barker's Books of Blood short horror story Midnight Meat Train debuts on the big screen in big cities only.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of July 25 -27, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (1) The Dark Knight - $75.6 million | $314.2 million [$185 million]
2. (4) The X-Files: I Want to Believe - $10.2 million | 10.2 million [$30 million]
3. (5) Journey to the Center of the Earth - $9.4 million | $60 million [$60 million]
4. (6) Hancock - $8.2 million | $206.3 million [$150 million]
5. (7) WALL-E - $6.3 million | $195.2 million [$180 million]
6. (8) Hellboy 2 - $4.9 million | $65 million [$85 million]
7. (9) Space Chimps - $4.3 million | $16 million [$40 million]
8. (10) Wanted - $2.7 million | $128.6 million [$75 million]
9. (11) Get Smart - $2.3 million | $124.2 million [$80 million]
10. (12) Kung Fu Panda - $1.0 million | $209.0 million [$130 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

Most people thought the opening of the new Batman movie would be big - but few thought it would be this big. The Dark Knight brought in more than $155 million in ticket sales in its first weekend - the biggest opening of any movie in Hollywood history.

The other sci fi flick to debut is the kiddie animated entry, Space Chimps, which debuted at No. 6, behind WALL-E.

To make room for the two new comers, both Incredible Hulk and Indiana Jones fell out of the genre top 10 for the first time in months.

With Journey to the Center of the Earth still performing well against stiff kiddie competition, expectations are growing for, The Mummy; Tomb of the Dragon Emperor  which opens in two weeks and like Journey, stars Brendan Fraser.

Of all the Top 10 films of the week - all but the second spot (Baby Boomer-targeted musical Mama Mia!) were either science fiction, fantasy, horror or spy fi.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of July 18 -20, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (1) The Dark Knight - $155.3 million | $155.3 million [$180 million]
2. (3) Hancock - $14 million | $191.5 million [$150 million]
3. (4) Journey to the Center of the Earth - $11.9 million | $43.1 million [$60 million]
4. (5) Hellboy II - $10.0 million | $56.4 million [$85 million]
5. (6) WALL-E - $9.8 million | $182.5 million [$180 million]
6. (7) Space Chimps - $7.4 million | $7.4 million [unknown budget]
7. (8) Wanted - $5.1 million | $123.3 million [$75 million]
8. (9) Get Smart - $4.1 million | $199.6 million [$80 million]
9. (10) Kung Fu Panda - $1.8 million | $206.5 million [$130 million]
10. (11) Meet Dave - $1.6 million | $9.4 million [$60 million] 

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

Audiences spent just shy of $36 million to give Hellboy II: The Golden Army the lead of the pack over the July 11-13 weekend, knocking Will Smith's Hancock to the No. 2 spot in its second week.

In the battle of the new sci-fi kiddie flicks, Journey to the Center of the Earth, starring Brendan Fraser, with its $20.5 million take on 2,811 screens beat out the newest Eddie Murphy film, Meet Dave, which only brought in $5.3 million on 3,011 screens.

In the 980s it would be unheard of for an Eddie Murphy picture to open so small, although this may be good news for Fraser, who's new big-budget action picture, The Mummy; Tomb of the Dragon Emperor opens in three weeks.

Of all the Top 10 films of the week - all but the ninth spot ( 'tween chick flick Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) were either science fiction, fantasy, horror or spy fi.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of July 11 -13, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (1) Hellboy II: The Golden Army - $35.9 million | $35.9 million [$85 million]
2. (2) Hancock - $33.0 million | $165.0 million [$150 million]
3. (3) Journey to the Center of the Earth 3d - $20.6 million | $20.6 million [$60 million]
4. (4) WALL-E - $18.5 million | $162.8 million [$180 million]
5. (5) Wanted - $11.6 million | $112.0 million [$75 million]
6. (6) Get Smart - $7.1 million | $111.5 million [$80 million]
7. (7) Meet Dave - $5.3 million | $5.3 million [$60 million]
8. (8) Kung Fu Panda - $4.3 million | $202.0 million [$130 million]
9. (10) Indiana Jones: Crystal Skull - $2.3 million | $310.5 million [$185 million]
10. (11) The Incredible Hulk - $2.2 million | $129.8 million [$150 million]

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.

Following are the Top 10 speculative fiction movies in release in North America for the weekend of July 4 -6, 2008.

RANK #. (Overall Rank) Title - Weekend Gross | Total Gross [Budget]

1. (1) Hancock - $66.0 million | $107.3 million [$150 million]
2. (2) Wall-E - $33 million | $128.1 million [$180 million]
3. (4) Get Smart - $11.1 million | $98.1 million [$80 million]
4. (5) Kung Fu Panda - $7.5 million | $193.4 million [$130 million]
5. (6) The Incredible Hulk - $5.0 million | 124.9 million [$150 million]
6. (7) Indiana Jones: Crystal Skull - $3.9 million | $306.6 million [$185 million]
7. (12) Iron Man - $1.5 million | $311.8 million [$140 million]
8. (13) The Happening - $1.5 million | $62.0 million [$60 million]
9. (15) Narnia: Prince Caspian - $0.6 million | $138.8 million [$200 million]
10. (34) Superhero Movie - $10 thousand | $25.9 million [unknown budget]

Source: Box Office Mojo - list only includes science fiction, spy fi, fantasy and dark fantasy/horror titles.