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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey picked up an estimated $13 million in midnight screening in the US on its opening night last Thursday, breaking the record for a December midnight release.
The prequel tops the previous record by The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, also directed by Jackson.
Just under $1.6 million of the total was brought in from IMAX screenings alone according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which screened in 2003, earned $8m in midnight runs in the US.
At this pace, The Hobbit is expected to open in the $75 million to $90 million range. Most box office observers expect the film to score the top December weekend opening of all time, eclipsing the $77.2 million opening of Will Smith’s I Am Legend in 2007.
The film has been met with critical acclaim and has already achieved a three-and-a-half star rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a movie ranking website.
