“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is still at the top of the North American box office. This also marked one of the busiest weekends for new releases to hit theatres. Despite some big contenders making a grand entrance, ‘The Hobbit 2’ still remains the victor for three consecutive weekends with $29.9 million, bringing its domestic total to $190.3 million. The Peter Jackson-directed film raked in another $98.3 million overseas, grossing $423.8 million internationally and $614.1 million in total.
‘The Hobbit 2’ still remains the victor for three consecutive weekends
“Frozen (2013)” nearly snatched the top spot again, trailing in second place with $28.8 million. The Disney’s animation garnered $49.3 million over the five days of Christmas showing. The family friendly film voiced by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel also boasts as the second best showing of all time for a film in its sixth weekend placing behind “Avatar” ($34.9 million) and surpassing “Titanic” ($25.2 million). Even though Disney came up short this year with “Lone Ranger”, it seems that “Frozen (2013)” is making up for the financial loss raking in $248.3 million in North America and $491.9 million worldwide. In foreign markets it also placed second for the weekend with an estimated $50.5 million, pushing its overseas total to $243.5 million.
Frozen (2013)
“Anchorman: The Legend Continues” takes the third position this week with $20.2 million, pushing up its domestic total to $83.6 million. Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy and the KVWN channel 4 team equals financial success.“Anchorman 2” grossed $83.6 million domestically, almost equalling the $85.3 million earned by the first instalment back in 2003. The quirky comedy has surpassed the $100 million mark globally.
The aforementioned big contenders performed as follows:
* Fourth place: Leonardo DiCaprio’s The Wolf of Wall Street – $18. 5 million for the weekend
* Fifth place: Ben Stiller’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” – $13 million
* Ninth place: Keanu Reeves’ “47 Ronin” – $9.9 million (Universal is expected to take an estimated $175 million write-off on the $200M-budgeted film)
* Eleventh Place: Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone’s “Grudge Match” – $7.3 million
* Thirteenth Place: Justin Bieber’s Believe – $2 million
Quick look at the top-grossing pictures in North American theaters, courtesy of Box Office Mojo:
- “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” – $29.9 million
- “Frozen (2013)” – $28.8 million
- “Anchorman: The Legend Continues” – $20.2 million
- “American Hustle” – $19.6 million
- “The Wolf of Wall Street” – $18. 5 million
- “Saving Mr. Banks” – $14 million
- “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” – $13 million
- “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” – $10.2 million
- “47 Ronin” – $9.9 million
- “A Madea Christmas” – $7.4 million
