“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” remained the top-selling motion picture in U.S. and Canadian theaters for a third weekend as 2013 box-office sales neared an annual record.
“The Desolation of Smaug,” the second of three films from works by J.R.R. Tolkien, generated $29.9 million for Time Warner Inc. (TWX:US[1] )’s Warner Bros. and MGM Holdings Inc., beating five new wide releases, Rentrak Corp. (RENT:US[2] ) said in an e-mailed statement today. Among the debuts, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Martin Scorsese’s picture about penny stockbroker Jordan Belfort, took in $18.5 million and finished fifth for Viacom Inc. (VIAB:US[3] )’s Paramount Pictures.
The strong lineup of weekend films is carrying sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters toward the $10.8 billion annual record set last year, according to Rentrak. The latest “Hobbit” has helped Warner Bros. cement the No. 1 position at the domestic box office this year, with $1.81 billion in revenue as of Dec. 26, according to Box Office Mojo, another industry researcher.
“‘The Hobbit’ is keeping its position as the winter blockbuster,” Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Rentrak, said before the sales were announced. “It’s giving Warner Bros. a nice push at the end of the year.”
As of Dec. 26, “The Desolation of Smaug” has garnered $436.8 million in global ticket sales since its release more than two weeks ago, with 63 percent from overseas, according to Box Office Mojo. Its predecessor produced $1.02 billion in its theatrical run, with 70 percent from international markets.
‘Vulgar, Voyeuristic’
Martin Freeman returns in “The Desolation of Smaug” as the hobbit Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen reprises Gandalf, the wizard. The movie picks up where the last one ended, with Baggins, Gandalf and their dwarf friends continuing the quest to reclaim their homeland, Erebor, from the dragon Smaug.
“The Desolation of Smaug” was expected to take in $29.5 million this weekend, according to BoxOffice.com.
“The Wolf of Wall Street,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was projected by BoxOffice.com to open with sales of $23.8 million. The movie, featuring DiCaprio as the central character, follows the real-life rise and fall of Belfort, who founded the 1990s firm Stratton Oakmont Inc. and spent 22 months in prison for securities fraud.
It also stars Jonah Hill as Belfort’s partner, Margot Robbie as his spouse and Matthew McConaughey as Mark Hanna, Belfort’s mentor at his old firm. Rob Reiner plays Belfort’s father.
The movie, which garnered Golden Globe nominations for best comedy and best actor in a comedy, was made for $100 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The three-hour film has been buoyed by favorable reviews, with some critics comparing it to Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” and “Goodfellas.” It got a 76 percent positive rating by RottenTomatoes.com, a review aggregator.
“‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ hums with vulgar, voyeuristic energy,” wrote A.O. Scott in the New York Times. “It has been a while since Mr. Scorsese has thrown himself into filmmaking with this kind of exuberance.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Ben Livesey in San Francisco at blivesey@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net
References
- ^ TWX:US (investing.businessweek.com)
- ^ RENT:US (investing.businessweek.com)
- ^ VIAB:US (investing.businessweek.com)
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