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Undaunted hobbits trumped princess power at the multiplex.
Per studio estimates Sunday, Warner Bros. ”Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” was No. 1 at the weekend box office with $73.7 million, besting last weekend’s No. 1 film, Disney’s animated fable ”Frozen.”
” ‘Hobbit’ rules this date and Warner Bros. has linked this brand to this time of year very effectively,” said box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Rentrak.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, now in its 4th wk, grossed $13.15-M for the # 4 notch. Its North American take is now $357-M.
Internationally, the hit grossed $19.5-M from 83 markets, taking the estimated overseas tally to $372.9-M. Its worldwide take is now at $739.9-M, passing the lifetime worldwide box office for the first film, The Hunger Games at $691-M.
Coming in # 5 is Thor: The Dark World, which is in its 6 wk in theaters. The Disney and Marvel pic starring Chris Hemsworth earned $2.7-M domestically this weekend. It has a strong domestic take of $198.1-M and has a worldwide gross of $619.9-, so far.
David O. Russell’s American Hustle opened in 6 theaters, and successful in limited release. The film took in $690,000, for a per-location average of $115,000. The Columbia Pictures/Annapurna Pictures’ pic starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence expands next week to 2,500 locations.
Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks also opened in limited release in 16 slots to earn $421,000. It expands to wide release next week.
