I will be adding to the box office coffers tomorrow–well, I guess I already have, since my tickets are pre-sold. This makes me very happy for Richard and all the cast and crew who worked so hard to make this a reality.
This is from Deadline Hollywood at deadline.com. Thanks to RACentral for sharing on Twitter!
FRIDAY 11:15 PM, 4TH UPDATE: This is the largest Christmas release of all time. The latest from my esources has The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey looking around $37M and $96M for the weekend with an ‘A’ CinemaScore from audiences. (My Warner Bros insiders peg the numbers tonight at $36M-$39M and the weekend at $81M-$89M. I’ll know more specifics in the morning.) There are 
two records shattered – biggest December Friday and biggest December weekend for the domestic box office. The opening for the 3D actioner from MGM/Warner Bros in 4,045 theaters is grossing much larger than The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Today’s take includes $13M from 3,100 midnight shows, including $1.6M on IMAX screens. The pic based on matinee trends had been on a $113+M fast track for its first U.S.-Canada weekend but then its business slowed in the evening no doubt because of its very long 2 hour, 46 minute running time. Hollywood knew Peter Jackson‘s film adaptation of the 1937 JRR Tolkien novel would be one of the monster holiday hits so left this weekend to the pic. It’s 
already the #1 movie abroad and has taken in $27.3M from 42 international markets going into Friday. My insiders believe it’s very possible for the movie to end this weekend with approximately $200M worldwide. Yowza! In the U.S. and Canada, MovieTickets said box office advance tickets for the pic accounted for nearly 91% of sales going into Friday, with nearly 18% coming from those wanting to see the film in standard 3D format, 8% in High Frame Rate 3D, and 7% in IMAX 3D. The record opening for this weekend is I Am Legend‘s $77m. Remember, all Lords Of The Rings 2D films opened Christmas Week whereas 3D The Hobbit will play to lower openings but huge multiples helped by 3D and IMAX. The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey‘s production was managed by New Line Cinema with parent company Warner Bros Pictures handling worldwide theatrical distribution. Select international territories (including Scandinavia) as well as all international television distribution was handled by MGM.
In North America, the film is playing in 4,045 theaters, a record number for December. That includes 3,160 3D theaters and 461 theaters in the 48 frames-per-second format. Overseas, The Hobbit is opening in 55 territories on approximately 17,000 screens this weekend (excluding Australia, China and Russia). The pic scored a record opening in New Zealand where it was filmed and which is Jackson’s native country, marking the biggest non-holiday debut for a Wednesday.
The Hobbit was digitally re-mastered into IMAX 3D format and a select number of IMAX theatres will be presenting the pic using a higher frame rate (HFR) – presenting the picture in 48 frames per second (fps) which is closer to what the human eye actually sees. This is twice the rate of the standard 24 fps, which is the current format in
cinemas worldwide. This use of HFR 3D is the first use of this method in a major motion picture release.
Thorin & Company are slaying ’em at the box office.
the armitage effect 
Yay! So glad the numbers are looking so fabulous. This should go quite a ways to affirming Peter Jackson’s vision and the investors’ faith in him, paving the way for a strong reception for the other films in the trilogy.
Me, too. I don’t think the mixed reviews are really going to hurt its numbers. All those who have been anticipating it are going to see it anyway, and from what I’ve read, many will be going back for repeat servings in various formats. According to CinemaScore, those who have seen it largely give it a thumbs up. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, of course, not even amongst RA fans, but I am going into it expecting to enjoy it, particularly Mr. Armitage’s performance–even if he does yell a lot. 😉 Never stopped me from liking Guy.
I saw the 11:20am showing of The Hobbit and I am so glad that I went early because if I went to an evening showing I would be too scared to come back home. My friend and I went to a bright and cheery store afterwards to get the scary images off of our minds. Richard said this is a family film but I don’t think so. Children would be scared and maybe cause some to be scared to go to bed at night. Any little girls named Xenia had better not watch this movie at night. The only thing missing in this movie was Linda Blair with her head spinning like it did in the movie The Exorcist. I read The Hobbit and it did not scare me at all but this movie had me turning my head to not look quite often.
Richard as Thorin is the handsomest I have ever seen him. OMG!!! Richard’s Thorin is also regal and very much a king. His presence is felt in the movie and he is just as important to the story as Bilbo Baggins. Martin Freeman did an outstanding job, but Richard is twice as outstanding. I loved where Peter Jackson left the story at the end. It was very appropriate. I still think he should have left it at two movies instead of three. Two more movies filled with swords, monsters and violence is over the top IMHO. The movie is bigger than the darned book.
RICHARD ARMITAGE is STUNNING in The Hobbit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I know it won’t bother my husband then. Like many men, he likes lots of action including the darker and more violent kind. On screen, anyway LOL
(In real life he’s one of the most gentle, thoughtful guys you’d ever want to know.)
Looking forward to seeing it tomorrow at 1 p.m.!
Hi Fedoralady, I just thought I’d check in before I go to bed. Sorry I didn’t answer your last comment last night, my eyes were tired and it was time to get some rest. I will be thinking of you tomorrow when your in the cinema. It will be a mindblowing experience. I agree with Xenia Richard is stunning in The Hobbit. In fact there are no words adequate to describe him.
Hey, no need to apologize, darling. 😀 Really looking forward to seeing lovely Richard in a fab performance that means so much to him.
Won’t give anything away Angie so as not to spoil it for you or anyone else who hasn’t yet seen the movie, but all I will say is I saw it – loved every bit of it – and so will you. And Richard? Just as you would expect! Spectacular! Would you truly expect anything else from someone as talented as he? When it ended I would have happily sat watched it all over again. All I can say is, roll on the second movie. I certainly hope to see *this* one more than once. 🙂
Oh, from day one when the news was released he’d been cast in the role, I had absolutely no doubt RA would be great in this role. No doubt whatsoever. And that belief has only been strengthened over the past year and a half. Sure it seemed a bit comical to imagine him as a dwarf–but I knew between RA’s acting prowess and PJ and Company’s magic, he’d be completely believable in the role.
The numbers are not as fabulous as they sound. The Hobbit is number 28 on the list of best opening days ever. That is not that good. Though it is far from bad. Apparently in December people have generally other things to do but storm theatres the moment a new movie opens. And most movies on that list are sequels from stuff like Harry Potter and Twilight that are probably more anticipated and have a bigger fandom than the Hobbit. On the other hand, the Hobbit did better than Skyfall or even Avatar. Hopefully it will continue so over the holidays, with no strong contender and the kids at home. It would be nice if the Hobbit could position himself among the top five of 2012.
Well, at least it’s not all gloom and doom out there! It will be interesting to see how Les Miserables does on Christmas Day, as it has been heavily promoted with lots of potential Oscar buzz (although it’s gotten some negative reviews, too). Many people (here at least) do go to movies on and around Christmas, particularly once children are out of school for their winter holidays.
That’s what I think. The Hobbit is the perfect family movie to watch over Christmas. I also think if word of mouth is better than the reviews (and it definetely looks like that), it may tempt people that originally didn’t wanted to see it or people watch it a second time, perhaps in a different format or with different people. I’m not saying it is doom and gloom at all. It just won’t be the most successful movie ever or even of the year. With Les Miserable I’m not sure, with it being a period drama and a musical I would think normally it would appeal to a much smaller target audience. It is certainly not the stuff teenage boys would watch. Though under different circumstances it would be what I would choose over the Hobbit. The problem with the Hobbit was that the bar had been set so ridiculously high on all accounts by LOTR.