The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened in first place at the weekend box office, setting a new December record with an $84.8 million debut, breaking the previous record held by I Am Legend, which opened in 2007 with $77.2 million.The 3-D adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's first novel in the fantasy series also had a better opening than the three previous Lord of the Rings films, the most recent of which, The Return of the King, debuted in 2003. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first movie in another planned trilogy.
- Last weekend's top film, Skyfall, fell to fourth place.
- There were no other new wide releases this weekend.
THIS WEEKEND'S TOP TEN MOVIES -- DECEMBER 14-16
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, $84.8 million
- Rise of the Guardians, $7.4 million
- Lincoln, $7.2 million
- Skyfall, $7 million
- Life of Pi, $5.4 million
- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2, $5.2 million
- Wreck-It Ralph, $3.3 million
- Playing for Keeps, $3.2 million
- Red Dawn, $2.4 million
- Silver Linings Playbook, $2 million
