Smaug Opens Strong in First Weekend of Release

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The remote server returned an unexpected response: (417) Expectation failed.

The Desolation of Smaug's opening weekend US take of $73.65 million fell short of landing the December opening record set by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ($84.6M) but I doubt Jackson and company care considering the film took in $205M worldwide essentially paying for itself in the first three days of release. The assumption is the movie will cross the $1 billion threshold and considering the overall good reviews, I see little reason to doubt it. More details on the breakdown here but basically the movie did as well as it was expected to do.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Blu-Ray Details, Release Date

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The official home video release date of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has been revealed. In the US, it will be out on April 8th while in other countries the range will be from April 7th to 17th (list at end). Per usual now, there will be multiple formats for the release, not including whatever store exclusives that are in the pipeline: a Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack ($105.42), a Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack ($44.95), a Blu-ray Combo Pack ($35.99), and a 2-Disc DVD Special Edition ($28.98). All the combo packs will include UltraViolet Digital copy. The collector's edition includes two "Gates of Erebor" replica bookends created by the Noble Collection.

As for as announced special features on all formats:
- Peter Jackson Invites You to the Set: In the Company of the Hobbit and Peter Jackson Invites You to the Set: All in a Day’s Work: Experience the film’s challenges and demands, and journey alongside the director into Mirkwood, Lake-town and Dale as the movie’s most intense, pivotal scenes are created
- Production Videos: Watch production come to life as Peter Jackson gives you an inside look at the making of the film
- New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth, Part 2: Travel with Peter Jackson and his team across the stunning locations of New Zealand transformed by the filmmakers into Middle-earth
- “I See Fire” Music Video: Ed Sheeran’s beautiful theme song from the film is illuminated with this intimate music video

Chances are there will be a few more special features, released as store exclusives with most of the goodies saved for the Extended Edition that will be released sometime in December.

Regional release dates:
April 7: UK
April 8: USA, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Hungary
April 9: Italy
April 11: Germany
April 16: France, Netherlands, Belgium, Australia
April 17: Brazil

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Gets Early Digital Release

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The remote server returned an unexpected response: (417) Expectation failed.
If you are a digital only buyer, then good news. iTunes and Amazon have posted the digital copy of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug early along with extras at a cost of $19.99. As a result of that price, I highly recommend just save your hard earned money and instead wait for the official April 8th Blu-ray release of the movie as can get the combo edition with Blu-ray disc, DVD and UltraViolet digital copy for a few dollars more. Now I will be the first to admit that UltraViolet is absolute crap compared to iTunes but regardless the physical copy is still more bang for your buck even if don't own a Blu-ray player. Even better the extra features are the same regardless if get iTunes or physical copy as both come with "Peter Jackson Invites You to the Set" and "New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth: Part 2." Still if you are needing that early The Hobbit hit, click the links to pick your virtual source: iTunes | Amazon.