NEW YORK (Reuters) - The last of Peter Jackson's three Hobbit films rode to a third straight weekend atop United States and Canadian box office charts, selling an estimated US$21.9 million (S$29.2 million) in tickets.
Disney's film version of the dark Broadway musical Into The Woods claimed the No 2 spot with US$19.1 million, while the World War II drama Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie, finished third with US$18.4 million.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies grabbed another US$9.3 million from New Year's Day screenings for a four-day take through Sunday of US$31.2 million, and has a domestic total of US$220.8 million since its Dec 17 release, according to estimates from tracking firm Rentrak.
Unbroken, Jolie's second directorial effort, tells the real-life story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini's two years as a prisoner of war in Japan.
Into The Woods, an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical that puts a spin on children's fairy tales, stars Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and a brief appearance by Johnny Depp.