It was an uphill battle for Vincenzo Natali’s Splice at the weekend box office as the sci-fi drama struggled to break through a crowded frame that saw Shrek Forever After retain the top spot in North America for the third consecutive week.

Despite a hefty marketing campaign and a buzz-worthy cast in Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, the Canada/France copro generated just US$7.4 million on 2,450 screens in North America for E1 Entertainment and U.S. distributor Warner Bros.

In Canada, Splice earned $760,427 for a per screen average of $4,473. Not bad, though not great, considering the high expectations and $2-million P&A push by E1. The film received generally positive reviews from critics following its premiere at Sundance earlier this year.

The $25-million feature follows a hotshot scientist couple who push the limits of science by creating a dangerous hybrid creature named Dren with calamitous results. It is co-produced by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), Joel Silver (The Matrix), and Steve Hoban (Ginger Snaps) of Toronto’s Copperheart Entertainment among others.

Splice was up against new Hollywood fare including comedies Get Him to the Greek, Killers and family film Marmaduke. Meanwhile, Shrek has grossed US$183 million in North America since opening on May 21.