The Hobbit breaks box office records with $84.7 million opening

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey dominated the box office this weekend breaking December opening records and bringing in $84.7 million in sales.
The Hobbit, the first release in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” prequel trilogy, was the #1 film in the country this weekend as it took over the record as highest grossing December release from 2007’s “I am Legend.”
Fans began lining up Thursday night for midnight screening around the country, which earned about $13 million. The movie took in $37.5 million on Friday and $28.15 on Saturday with as much as 49% of the revenue coming from higher priced 3D and IMAX screenings.
The Hobbit is not receiving the same critical attention as the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy but the lackluster reviews do not seem to be deterring fans. The second part of the trilogy “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is set to be released sometime in 2013 with the final installment of the trilogy to follow in 2014.