The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug arrived in fine style in Australia on December 26, setting a record in the process.

Peter Jackson’s fantasy feature claimed 60% market share of the top five on an estimated $4.9m ($A5.5m) from 629 screens through Warner Bros Pictures International.

The Warner Bros-New Line-MGM tentpole scored the second biggest Boxing Day launch ever, some seven percent behind that of its 2012 predecessor, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The opening day also set the biggest Thursday launch in history. The film stands on at least $284.3m given that the international running total as of December 22 had reached $278.4m.

A full update will appear here on Sunday December 29.

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