The finale for J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” trilogy has made its way to the top spot in the Chinese box office during the first full week after its release in the country.
Chinese moviegoers have proven their fascination over the world of the Middle Kingdom after they helped "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" move its way to the top of the Chinese box office scene with a hefty $42.84 million ticket sales.
According to most recent reports, the third and final leg of the trilogy, which was released in 3D in the Asian country, had earned a global total gross sales of $915 million, $92.92 million of which came from its first 10 days in Chinese theaters.
Chasing after Peter Jackson's latest legacy at second place is the South Korean flick "Running Man," which is a feature spinoff from the popular reality TV program of the same title.
The spinoff, whose plot revolves around the quest of Chinese celebrities divided into teams to compete for an annual prize, earned $36.86 million from 7.28 million admissions during its opening weekend.
The film stars "Lost in Thailand" star Wang Baoqiang, Li Chen from "Aftershock," Zheng Kai from "So Young," famed endorser and actress Angelababy and Korean singer-actor Kim Jong-Kook.
Meanwhile, the animated film "Boonie Bears: Mystical Winter" placed third after earning a gross sales of $16.81 million in the first weekend after its release.
In the fourth place is the Chinese remake of a Korean comedy "Miss Granny" from Taiwanese director Chen Zhengdao which hauled a total of $57.43 million during its screening for 25 days.