Sure, he’s short. He eats five meals a day. He doesn’t look anything like a cinematic hero should. But this self-effacing halfling must have what it takes. Gandalf saw something special in ol’ Bilbo Baggins, and it seems that moviegoers are seeing the same.
Despite facing a veritable Middle Earthian army of Christmas newcomers, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug spent its third weekend atop the box office, collecting an estimated $29.9 million (perhaps in shiny gold coins) to bring its three-week total to $190.3 million. Apparently, nothing says Christmas like a trip to Lonely Mountain.
Unless, of course, we’re talking about a winter-themed Disney flick complete with a reindeer and talking snowman. Frozen, the Mouse House’s latest return to animated glory, made $28.8 million this weekend—a 47% week-over-week increase—to swoop up to second place. Frozen has made $248.4 million during its run thus far, making it the seventh highest-grossing movie of the year. Interestingly, it’s only the third highest-crossing animated movie of 2013, behind Despicable Me 2 (third with $391.1 million) and Monsters University (fifth with $268.5 million).
But we’ve no time to sit back and marvel at these animated flicks too much, people. We’ve still got more movies to talk about.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues experienced a less-than-legendary second weekend, pocketing $20.2 million for third place. It narrowly edged critical fave American Hustle, which settled for fourth place with $19.6 million. Another foul-mouthed awards hopeful, The Wolf of Wall Street, rounded out the Top Five with $18.5 million. That’s about $35,257 for each of the movie’s 525 documented f-words, in case you’re counting.
Wolf was the only Christmas newcomer to crack the Top Five. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty finished seventh with $13 mil. Keanu Reeves’ 47 Ronin dashed and slashed its way to a $9.9 million, ninth-place finish. Sly Stallone and Robert DeNiro’s boxing laugher Grudge Match took a dive in 11th place with $7.3 million. And Justin Bieber’s Believe attracted just $2 million worth of Beliebers (and reluctant movie reviewers) to the theaters this weekend. Its disappointing showing was good only for 14th place.
Final figures update: 1. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, $29 million; 2. Frozen, $28.6 million; 3. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, $19.7 million; 4. American Hustle, $18.7 million; 5. The Wolf of Wall Street, $18.4 million; 7, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, $12.8 million; 9, 47 Ronin, $9.9 million; 11, Grudge Match, $7 million; 14, Justin Bieber’s Believe, $2 million.
Recent Comments