While 2014 may have been disappointing for Hollywood, the first weekend of 2015 is hopefully a sign that a brighter day is on the horizon. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies earned its third consecutive week at No. 1. Meanwhile, American Sniper continues to roll in its limited release.
The Battle of the Five Armies, the third and final film in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, grossed $21.9 million this past weekend. That brings the film’s domestic total to $220.7 million.
The film is also dominating the world box office. According to Rentrak data, the film made another $52.5 million from foreign markets this weekend. Its international total is now up to $722.8 million.
Back at home, Disney’s Into The Woods musical scored another week at No. 2, adding $19.1 million. It has now grossed $91.2 million since Christmas Day and should hit $100 million by the end of the week.
Universal’s Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie, added $18.4 million, bringing its domestic total to $87.8 million.
This weekend’s only new wide release - Relativity’s The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death - opened with $15.15 million. That’s little more than $5 million less than the Daniel Radcliffe-fronted original. Incredibly, 51 percent of Angel of Death’s total came just from Friday, notes Box Office Mojo.
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb added $14.5 million, while Annie took in $11.4 million. The Weinstein Company’s The Imitation Game only played in 754 theaters, but made a whopping $8.1 million. (The Oscar bait is up to an astonishing $30.8 million already and hasn’t even played wide yet.)
Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper continues to be a limited release blockbuster, adding $640,000 at just four locations. The film doesn’t have a wide opening until Jan. 16.
image of ‘Hobbit’ star Martin Freeman courtesy of INFphoto.com