When compared to the performance of last year’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” this year’s “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is a disappointment.
But when compared to the box office at large, it is an irrefutable champion. If estimates hold, the film claimed a third consecutive weekend box office victory.
Early data shows that “Smaug” earned $29.9 million this weekend. “Frozen,” the runner-up, moved $28.9 million.
And they were not the only holdovers to deliver this weekend. “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” and “American Hustle,” which claimed third and fourth, added $20.2 million and $19.6 million, respectively, to their tallies. “The Wolf of Wall Street,” the weekend’s best newcomer, earned just $18.5 million.
Other new releases included “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (#7, $13.0 million), “47 Ronin” (#9, $9.9 million), “Grudge Match” (#11, $7.3 million) and “Justin Bieber’s Believe” (#14, $2.0 million).