‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ Tops Box Office for Second Consecutive Week

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies has held strong at the top of the North American box office for a second week in a row.

The third and final film in director Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit franchise took $55 million over the extended holiday weekend to triumph over Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken, which opens with $47 million.

Movie musical Into the Woods is new at three with $46 million, while Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and Annie close out the top five at four and five, respectively.

Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood’s new film American Sniper has set a new record for the largest limited Christmas release at the North American box office.

The biopic, starring Bradley Cooper as America’s deadliest sniper, the late Chris Kyle, was screened in fewer than 10 theaters, but still managed to rake in $212,500 in takings.

Seth Rogen and James Franco’s controversial comedy The Interview, which was initially pulled by Sony Pictures bosses amid threats to cinema-goers’ safety, was another big limited hit, earning $2.8 million from showings in 331 theatres.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures