BOX OFFICE: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Passes $500 Million Worldwide

BOX OFFICE: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Passes $500 Million Worldwide

It now looks extremely likely that the second instalment in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy will join the $1 billion club alongside its predecessor as the movie has today passed $500 million worldwide. Hit the jump for further details and specific numbers!

News
By JoshWilding - Dec 27, 2013 12:12 PM EST
Filed Under: Fantasy




It was only five days ago that we reported the news that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has reached $400 million, so expect to see it continue to dominate throughout January. How do you guys feel about this news? Be sure to sound off with your thoughts in the usual place!





The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.


STARRING:

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
Graham McTavish as Dwalin
Ken Stott as Balin
Aidan Turner as Kíli
Dean O'Gorman as Fíli
Mark Hadlow as Dori
Jed Brophy as Nori
Adam Brown as Ori
John Callen as Óin
Peter Hambleton as Glóin
William Kircher as Bifur
James Nesbitt as Bofur
Stephen Hunter as Bombur
Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman
Hugo Weaving as Elrond
Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
Orlando Bloom as Legolas
Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel
Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug

RELEASE DATE: December 13th, 2013.
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JoshWilding
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A lifelong comic book fan who grew up on Spider-Man: The Animated Series in the '90s, Josh Wilding has been contributing to ComicBookMovie.com since 2009.

While he's also written for websites like Batman-News, HeyUGuys, and WhatCulture, Josh is CBM's Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and the site's #1 contributor with nearly two decades of experience covering film and TV news (including interviews with Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Gary Oldman, Halle Berry, Jon Bernthal, Tom Welling, and hundreds more).

Based in the UK with his wife, Josh is also an avid WWE and Formula 1 fan and writes about those passions on CBM's sister sites, TheRingReport.com and FullThrottleHQ.com. Favourite superhero? Spider-Man. Favourite pro wrestler? CM Punk. Favourite F1 driver? Max Verstappen.
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Tuuralihn
Tuuralihn - 12/27/2013, 12:17 PM
By far an improvement from An Unexpected Journey, but I'm surprised it took this long for it to exceed $500 million. I think AUJ took less time.

If ya haven't seen it yet, check it out! (Pee before going in, you don't wanna miss a thing)
victoryismine82
victoryismine82 - 12/27/2013, 12:49 PM
I need to see it again. I missed the whole Gandalf/dol guldur section cuz the 3D stopped working and people (me included) went to go bitch at the theater staff
QuestiontheAnswer
QuestiontheAnswer - 12/27/2013, 12:58 PM
I doubt it'll make 1 bil, even though it's superior to its predecessor.
Facade
Facade - 12/27/2013, 12:59 PM
Just got back from my 2nd viewing...Smaug the Magnificent!
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 12/27/2013, 1:20 PM
I'm one of THOSE people...

The kind who bitches about a 310 page book being divided up into three 160+ minute movies.

But my dilemma here is that Peter Jackson has so much time on his hands here, but decides NOT to develop the main characters.

With LOTR, there was a diverse cast that made things interesting, and I'm not just talking about the actors - but the characters. An elf, a ranger, a dwarf, a hero, four hobbits, and a wizard - it's almost impossible not to remember any of the characters here.

With the Hobbit, there are 13 dwarves, and only three or four of them truly have some meaningful dialogue.

So instead of making them loveable, Peter Jackson has to try and milk the Appendix to "fill in the blanks" in order to move the series towards his already successful movie trilogy.

Do we NEED to see what Gandalf is doing? Do we NEED to see Legolas stalk Tauriel (two characters not even in the Hobbit)?

I was so close to falling asleep in the theater.
JediSuperGuy83
JediSuperGuy83 - 12/27/2013, 1:28 PM
Here are My Top 10 Movies of 2013 one of The best years of film

1.Man Of Steel- Exciting and The Best Superhero movie of all time and Gave Superman 45 Minutes of Hash time also The Ending has been The Most Talked About and Henry Cavill Topped Reeve as The Man Of Steel

2.The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug-An exciting Fantasy Adventure that had you at The Edge of your seat and Amazing performance from Benedict Cumberbatch's Smaug The Terrible

3.Star Trek Into Darkness-Cumberbatch Played A Star Trek Villain worth remembering to The T and He was an Awesome antagonist in The Last 45 Minutes as well as well and amazing story on kirk earning his stripes as Captain of The U.S.S. Enterprise

4.The Hunger Games:Catching Fire-An Exciting Tale on Peoples Champion and one person to change the course of History with Katniss Everdeen prelude to the war between all the districts and Panem and more about why the games are wrong

5.Thor:The Dark World-Marvel Returned to Form after the dismal failure of Iron Man 3 with Thor battling Malekiths Dark Forces that almost laid waist to the entire Universe amazing performances from Hemsworth,Hiddleston,Portman and Eccleston

6.Elysium-Heathcare Poor needs Rich Blomkapp delievers the Goods once again better and its than Distirct 9 and Amazing Performance from Sharlto Copley as The Films villain Kruger

7.Now You See Me-An Unexpected Surprise Starring The Four Horsemen made it one the Best due to stellar cast and dramedy and with you going What Just Happened?

8.The Wolverine-Basically The Definitive Wolverine Story Hugh Jackman played Wolverine to The T and The Post Credit Scene was WHOA!!

9.Pacific Rim-Del Toros Mech vs Monster Movies Proved The Genre had Some Juice Left in it and Stunning Visuals. Amazing performances from Charlie Hunnam & Idris Elba

10.The Great Gatsby-One of The Most Visually stimulating films with Leonardo DiCaprio as Richman Jay Gatsby proved to be the Tragedy and amazing Soundtrack worth an Oscar Nod

Honarable Mentions

Fast & Furious 6
Iron Man 3
After Earth
The Mortal Instruments:City of Bones
The Host
Oz The Great and Powerful
The Way Way Back
Jack The Giant Slayer 
Seejay
Seejay - 12/27/2013, 1:30 PM
@Tainted87 - 12/27/2013, 1:20 PM

Agree. It was better than the first Hobbit though.
Liverpool4life
Liverpool4life - 12/27/2013, 1:33 PM
The Hobbit has almost caught up to Catching Fire's international total. It does lag behind domestically.
Starkasm
Starkasm - 12/27/2013, 1:34 PM
It also only just opened in Australia a couple of days ago.
Billion dollar club for sure.
Gibman
Gibman - 12/27/2013, 1:37 PM
I love the Hobbit movies, even if the material is stretched and expanded a little. It's been 10 years since we last saw middle earth on screen so the more time I can spend there the better. I love the fact that it was turned into 3 movies. The little details build character. Of course it's not going to be the same as LOTR, it's a different story with lighter moments. I don't know why people complain about it so much, it's not as if theirs a huge group people who get on internet and start bad mouthing movies just so the fans f said movies get upset. I mean no body is that sad and petty.......
TheAbomination
TheAbomination - 12/27/2013, 1:47 PM
This was way better than the first one. Hopefully, it will out-gross An Unexpected Journey.
marantaz
marantaz - 12/27/2013, 1:48 PM
If it makes a billion, it will be because of the inflated prices on 3D movies. I saw it Tuesday, and there was only one screen of 4 showing Smaug without 3D projection. I have my doubts it will get there, but I'm probably wrong.
themidnightking
themidnightking - 12/27/2013, 1:49 PM
I had a chance to check this out today but I ended up seeing The Wolf of Wall Street. There was so much coke!
datNAMEtho
datNAMEtho - 12/27/2013, 2:06 PM
Film was fantastic!!!!!!

Cannot wait to see TABA! Considering what has to happen in it and also of how they've probably done it, it's going to be really good! I know so, read the books.

Really hope it also passes the $1 Billion mark, really deserves it.
Ceejay
Ceejay - 12/27/2013, 2:08 PM
I'm never paying to see another 3D presentation again. the 2D version of Desolation of Smaug was far brighter, sharper and colurful than the dull and muted 3D versions I saw first.

Some people think so small, complaining about the additional scenes in these movies. Tolkien wrote the extra information about the timeline around the Hobbit to bring it into the events that finalize in The Lord of the Rings. Otherwise the Hobbit would remain like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the far more mature and serious epic trilogy that comes after it.

PJ and crew chose the right decision to adapt the entire timeline so the movies will maintain some continuity of the entire narrative of Sauron's return and the parts they all played in preventing him from being triumphant. When the entire movie series is complete it will maintain the lightness of the start of the book and gradually get more serious in tone so that it matches the beginning of Fellowship of the Ring for perfect back to back viewing.
Kyos
Kyos - 12/27/2013, 3:38 PM
I wish I wouldn't have to agree with Tainted and 'zillafart, I really do... :(
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 12/27/2013, 6:31 PM
I wish I didn't agree with Tainted either, but it happens...
Firgosaurus
Firgosaurus - 12/27/2013, 7:54 PM
Saw this after visiting WETA. That was cool.
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 12/27/2013, 9:00 PM
Looking forward to watching this next year.
Danbojohnj
Danbojohnj - 12/28/2013, 12:42 AM
Travelling and cinema dickheads are putting me off seeing this,I don't want it ruined like MoS was for me by some randy teenagers that wouldn't be quiet and offensive smelly locals who seemed to have bathed in a bath full of Sex Panther(seriously had my face down inside my jumper the whole film I shit you not).

Really want to see it though.
tonytony
tonytony - 12/28/2013, 1:40 AM
Deserves it. Terrific movie and a huge improvement over the hobbit
Kyos
Kyos - 12/28/2013, 9:25 AM
I was convinced that Smaug and his scenes with Bilbo would be among the things I'd really like. But much to my surprise I was wrong. :(
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