LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- "The Hobbit" raked in $84.8 million in gross U.S. box office receipts during the weekend, a record for December.
The Los Angeles Times reported the figure for the first installment of a three-part prequel to "The Lord of the Rings" was significantly lower than pre-release audience polling suggested, which was between $120 million and $140 million.