( EW.com ) -- Despite the arrival of two holiday heavyweights , `` The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey '' retained the top spot at the box office for the third weekend in a row . Warner Bros. ' $ 250 million fantasy prequel was held out of the top spot from Tuesday until Thursday by `` Les Miserables , '' but over the traditional weekend frame `` Hobbit '' dipped only 11 percent to bring in $ 32.9 million , and its domestic total now stands tall at $ 222.7 million . After 17 days , `` The Hobbit '' is performing well ahead of 2001′s `` The Fellowship of the Ring , '' which had earned $ 189.3 million at the same point in its run ( though that number climbs to about $ 260 million after accounting for inflation ) , but it still trails the 17-day cumes of `` The Two Towers '' ( $ 243.6 million ) , and `` The Return of the King '' ( $ 272.8 million ) . Notably , those films did not have 3D or IMAX surcharges boosting their totals . This is not meant to imply that `` The Hobbit '' is underperforming . Like so many modern Hollywood tentpoles , The Hobbit 's strong business overseas is the main component of its success . On Friday , the film smashed through the $ 600 million mark worldwide , and by the time the ball drops , its worldwide total will likely have surpassed $ 700 million . That 's a treasure that would impress even Smaug . In second place , `` Django Unchained '' galloped away with a terrific $ 30.7 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period , bringing its total to $ 64 million since its Christmas day debut . The Quentin Tarantino-directed Western , which The Weinstein Co. says cost $ 87 million to produce , has performed remarkably well for a controversial , R-rated film in a season often dominated by family-friendly/inspirational tales . Last year , many blamed a poor release date for the lackluster performance of `` Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , '' which settled for $ 102.5 million total , but `` Django 's '' fantastic opening week counters those assumptions . GET EW ON YOUR TABLET : Subscribe today and get instant access ! Given its robust debut , `` Django Unchained '' will very likely become Tarantino 's highest-grossing film ahead of 2009′s `` Inglorious Basterds , '' which earned $ 120.5 million total . Weinstein has every reason to believe it will reach that level . Not only was Django 's $ 10,195 per theater average ( from 3,010 theaters ) the best in the Top 10 , it earned an `` A- '' CinemaScore grade from polled audiences , which were 56 percent male . After winning Christmas day and spending its first three days atop the box office , `` Les Miserables '' finished the weekend in third place with $ 28.0 million . Universal 's $ 61 million adaptation of the beloved operetta ( which is , in turn , an adaptation of Victor Hugo 's 1862 novel ) has earned a terrific $ 67.4 million in its first six days ( plus another $ 48.7 million internationally ) , and although it has exhibited some frontloadedness due to up-front excitement from passionate fans , its `` A '' CinemaScore grade ( and ample awards buzz ) should help it hold up in the weeks to come . `` Les Miserables '' has already outgrossed the last December-released musical , Nine , which flopped with just $ 19.7 million in 2009 , and it will quickly surpass `` Dreamgirls , '' which opened in December 2006 and scored $ 103.4 million total , as well . Only time will tell whether `` Les Mis '' can match the impressive $ 170.7 million total of Chicago , which began a platform release in December 2002 and rode a wave of awards attention to box office glory , but for now , its prospects do n't look miserable at all . Fox 's Billy Crystal/Bette Midler vehicle `` Parental Guidance '' survived poor reviews and earned a not-bad $ 14.8 million over the weekend — the exact same amount it earned in its first three days of release . After six days , Guidance has earned $ 29.6 million against a modest $ 25 million budget , and with an `` A- '' CinemaScore grade and a dearth of family-oriented competition , it should hold up nicely in the new year . Paramount 's $ 60 million Tom Cruise thriller `` Jack Reacher '' rounded out the Top 5 with $ 14.0 million , marking a 10 percent drop from its inauspicious debut . After ten days , the novel adaptation has earned a rather unimpressive $ 44.7 million . 1 . The Hobbit — $ 32.9 million . 2 . Django Unchained — $ 30.7 million . 3 . Les Miserables — $ 28.0 million . 4 . Parental Guidance — $ 14.8 million . 5 . Jack Reacher — $ 14.0 million . In milestone news , `` Skyfall '' reached the $ 1 billion mark at the worldwide box office this weekend . It is the fourteenth film to ever reach that mark . Next week , `` Texas Chainsaw 3D '' will attempt to cut down `` The Hobbit '' and `` Django Unchained . '' Will it prevail ? Check back to EW to find out . Happy New Year ! See original story at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved .
` ` Hobbit '' dipped only 11 percent to bring in $ 32.9 million . ` ` ' Unchained '' came in second with $ 30.7 million . ` ` Jack Reacher '' rounded out the top 10 with $ 20 million .