‘Hobbit’ blasts past newcomers to claim third box office crown

Wednesday, 1 January 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the special-effects-laden tale that pits dwarfs against a dragon, blasted to its third consecutive box office title, collecting $ 29.9 million over the post-Christmas weekend to beat newcomers “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”

Walt Disney’s animated film “Frozen” was second with ticket sales of $ 28.8 million in its third week, ahead of Will Ferrell’s quirky comedy “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” which collected $ 20.2 million at domestic theatres. “American Hustle,” which reunited director David O. Russell with his “Silver Linings Playbook” stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, was fourth with $ 19.6 million in ticket sales at theatres in the United States and Canada, according to studio estimates. Director Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” was fifth with $ 18.5 million after finishing a close second to “The Hobbit” on Christmas Day, according to estimates from box office tracking site Rentrak. “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a nearly three-hour movie, received generally positive reviews but registered only a “C” rating from CinemaScore, a site that measures audience reaction.