Submitted by Middle-earth News contributor, Nomadic Writer.
Even Gandalf’s now eponymous words, “You shall not pass!” could not have stopped The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from being a hit with audiences of all ages around the world. The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Peter Jackson’s first installment in the J.R.R Tolkien inspired Hobbit trilogy, is anticipated to surpass the magic $1 billion mark in worldwide takings this coming weekend as it continues to rake in the treasure, globally.
This comes hot on the heels of the movie opening in China last month in which it took $18.4 million in just three days in sales on its opening weekend alone. China was the last major country for the movie to open in, where it has helped the epic adventure of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and a band of Dwarves, to make an almost equally impressive journey in steady increases in overseas sales.
What is equally encouraging is that since it opened mid December it still remains the highest grossing movie for overseas sales and with takings in access of $464 million it is almost enough to make even Smaug a little green with envy. In Australia it raked in $18.6 million from screening in 560 screens alone and was an undoubted hit.
As has been recently reported on Middle-Earth News, the third in the trilogy of movies, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, has been moved from its July 2014 date which it was penciled in for release to December 2014. This will fit in with the two previous Hobbit movie releases and complete the profile for the entire Middle-earth movie series opening traditionally around Christmas.
For many Tolkien and movie buffs alike, the festive season isn’t quite the same without another visit to their beloved Middle-earth, and the characters and creatures that inhabit that surreal world.
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