Audiences were ready to explore Middle Earth once again, though the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey didn’t do nearly as well as many analysts predicted. Some in Hollywood thought the first in a trilogy of films based on the fantasy novel would take in $100 million in its first weekend. Instead An Unexpected Journey took in $84.7 million.
That was good enough to take the top spot at the box office and makes for the largest opening for a Middle Earth film so far. But when you factor in inflation, extra costs for IMAX and 3-D shows, the opening weekend was smaller than that of The Two Towers.
However, An Unexpected Journey should still do well at the box-office if previous December trends hold true. The film is predicted to make $300 million before its box office run is over.
In second place was the animated movie Rise of the Guardians with $7.4 million. Third place went to Lincoln with $7.2 million.
Last week’s top earning movie, Skyfall, fell to fourth with $7 million. The latest Bond film is the highest grossing entry in the franchise.
In fifth was Life of Pi with $5.4 million.
Ronald Stepp says
I really liked the movie (3D version at Carmike Theater in Dothan, AL), as a Lord of the Rings movie. Well done, the extra dwarf material at the beginning wasn’t a burden like I had heard from some other reviews.
What I did NOT like was that it was fuzzy and it was dark. I actually liked it better several times when I removed the passive 3D glasses, it brightened up and was only a little more fuzzy than with them on.
So I don’t know what the deal was, I was expecting a really super-jump-out-at-you clear picture and got, at best, okay kind of almost out of focus feeling dark movie.
Every time the action drew my eye toward the edge of the screen it suddenly seemed real obvious that I was watching a screen playing a movie. Bleh.
I’m looking forward to seeing it in 2D and hopefully much brighter and sharper.