BOX OFFICE: THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Is Already Breaking Records
It's only been open for a day, but The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is already breaking records in North America! Hit the jump for all the details on this and the latest estimates for how Peter Jackson's return to Middle-Earth is set to perform this weekend.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set to be the biggest Christmas release of all-time reports Deadline. According to their sources, Peter Jackson's return to Middle-Earth looks set to earn $37 million for yesterday and around $96 million for the weekend with an 'A' CinemaScore. While Warner Bros. are still being a little more conservative with their estimates, this is still the biggest opening Friday in December and biggest December weekend for the domestic box office ever. The film has already taken the top spot overseas with $27.3 million from 42 locations. It has so far earned $1.6 million on IMAX screens. According to "MovieTickets", advance ticket sales have seen 18% wanting to see the film in standard 3D, 8% in High Frame Rate 3D and 7% in IMAX 3D.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
STARRING:
Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
Andy Serkis as Gollum
Hugo Weaving as Elrond
Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug
Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman
Christopher Lee as Saruman the White
Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
Orlando Bloom as Legolas
RELEASE DATE: December 14th, 2012.