NORTH AMERICA: 'The Battle of the Five Armies' Continues to Lead on Monday with $7.55M; 'Into the Woods' and 'Unbroken' Both Surpass the $50M Mark

By Daniel Garris

Warner's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies took in an estimated $7.55 million on Monday to remain in first place at the daily box office. The third and final installment of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy has led the daily box office for twelve of the past thirteen days. The Battle of the Five Armies was down 31.5 percent from Sunday and down a healthy 16 percent from last Monday. The 13-day total for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies stands at $175.57 million. That places the film 17 percent ahead of the $149.95 million thirteen-day take of last year's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and 2 percent behind the $179.57 million thirteen-day gross of 2012's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Disney's Into the Woods placed in second with $6.12 million. The Rob Marshall directed musical featuring Meryl Streep was down 26 percent from Sunday. Into the Woods surpassed the $50 million mark on Monday and has grossed an impressive $52.26 million in five days, especially when taking in its relatively modest location count into account. The film is currently running 18 percent ahead of the $44.42 million five-day start of 2008's Bedtime Stories and 11 percent behind the $58.50 million five-day gross of 2012's Les Misérables.

Unbroken claimed third place for the day with $5.16 million. The Angelina Jolie directed war drama from Universal fell 31 percent from Sunday. Like Into the Woods, Unbroken also surpassed the $50 million mark on Monday (the two films are separated by just $1.039 million thus far). Unbroken has grossed a significantly stronger than expected $51.22 million in five days. That places the film an impressive 17 percent ahead of the $43.73 million five-day start of 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and 6 percent behind the $54.38 million five-day take of 2012's Django Unchained.

Fox's Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb continued to hold up nicely with a fourth place take of $4.46 million. The third installment of the Ben Stiller led franchise was down just 18 percent from Sunday and up an impressive 31 percent over last Monday. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb has grossed $59.19 million in eleven days, which places the film 5 percent ahead of the $56.47 million eleven-day take of 2011's Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

Annie rounded out Monday's top five with an estimated $3.83 million. Sony's musical remake starring Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz was down a slim 14 percent from Sunday and up 19 percent over last Monday. Annie has grossed $49.56 million in eleven days and is set to surpass the $50 million mark today. The film is running 12 percent behind the mentioned eleven-day gross of Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 placed in sixth with $2.22 million. The third installment of Lionsgate's blockbuster franchise was down 23 percent from Sunday and up 29 percent over last Monday. Mockingjay - Part 1 is currently the second highest grossing release of 2014 domestically with a 39-day take of $308.94 million.

The Weinstein Company's The Imitation Game and Paramount's The Gambler claimed seventh and eighth place respectively with $1.56 million and $1.54 million. The Imitation Game was down 28 percent from Sunday and has grossed a promising $16.19 million to date. The Gambler fell 34.5 percent from Sunday and has grossed a solid $15.67 million in five days.