“THE HOBBIT” Breaks to the Top of PH Weekend Box Office

First film in Peter Jackson’s epic “The Hobbit” Trilogy breaks multiple records in its opening.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), soared to the top of Philippine box office in its opening weekend, earning P55-million on more than 300 screens, including six IMAX theatres. That figure represents the biggest opening ever for any film in the canon of “The Lord of the Rings.” The announcement was made today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. (F.E.), Inc.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is the acclaimed first film in Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s epic “The Hobbit” Trilogy, based on the timeless novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Shot in 3D 48 frames-per-second, the film was released in High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D) in select theaters, other 2D and 3D formats, and IMAX®.

Soliven stated, “Peter Jackson and his team of actors and filmmakers have delivered another superb film in the canon he established with ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy. Audiences everywhere have been excited by the prospect of returning to Middle-earth and these results speak to the incredible enthusiasm out there for this new adventure.” 

In the U.S., “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” dominated the weekend with an estimated $84.775 million domestically and $138.2 million internationally, for a worldwide estimated total of $223 million, including a record-breaking $15.1 from IMAX theatres worldwide.

Domestically, the film broke records for largest December opening in motion picture history, including Christmas/holiday weekends. Back in the Philippines, the top-performing cinemas are SM Mall of Asia (P4.16-M), SM North EDSA (P3.16-M), Trinoma (P3.00-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.22-M), SM Cebu (P2.16-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.02-M), SM Megamall (P1.82-M), Power Plant (P1.73-M), Newport (P1.64-M) and Eastwood (P1.53-M). They are followed closely by Alabang Town Center (P1.41-M), Gateway (P1.242-M), SM Southmall (P1.241-M), Robinsons Galleria (P994,816), SM Clark (P940,995), Shang Cineplex (P916,080), Robinsons Ermita (P850,310), Ayala Cebu (P849,474), Robinsons Magnolia (P845,407) and Theatremall (P782,932).

High Frame Rate 3D Version of "The Hobbit" in Select Cinemas!

Want to be fully immersed in Middle-earth?

Then watch “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” in its glorious High Frame Rate (HFR) 3D version in the following theaters: Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3, Greenhills, Robinsons Ermita, Robinsons Galleria, SM Cebu, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa and SM Southmall. 

For the first time, director Peter Jackson utilized state-of-the-art digital cameras to record the action in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” in 3D at an unprecedented 48 frames per second (fps) for release in High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D), as well as all the standard formats.

“We want ‘The Hobbit’ films to be a visual experience that goes several steps beyond ‘The Lord of the Rings,’” Jackson says. “3D didn’t really exist in mainstream cinema ten years ago at the level it does now, and we’ve shot the movie at 48 fps, which makes it the first feature film to be shot using today’s High Frame Rate technology.”


Jackson once again drew together members of the cast of “The Lord of the Rings,” including Ian McKellen as the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, Cate Blanchett as Elf Queen Galadriel, Hugo Weaving as Elf Lord Elrond, and Andy Serkis once again playing Gollum. Framing the story are Elijah Wood reprising the role of Frodo Baggins, and Ian Holm as Old Bilbo Baggins, who recalls his great adventure prior to leaving Bag End. Leading the international ensemble cast are Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit at the center of the tale, and Richard Armitage as the Dwarf warrior Thorin Oakenshield.

Together, this team of filmmakers and artists embarked on a new adventure—once again shooting three movies back-to-back to create a new motion picture trilogy, one that begins with a Hobbit living in a hole in the ground, on the brink of an incredible, and quite unexpected, journey.

A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be released in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures on Dec. 13, 2012.

The second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” will be released on Dec. 13, 2013, to be followed by “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” on July 18, 2014.