Los Angeles, Dec 25 (IANS): Filmmaker Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” has ruled the US box office in its first week by crossing the $100 million milestone.

The third and final part of “The Hobbit” trilogy totaled $9.8 million, lifting it to $107.9 million Tuesday, reports variety.com.

The film has left behind last year’s “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”, which took in $96 million in its first week in the US on its way to a domestic total of $258 million. Though it’s not as fast as 2012’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, which grossed $113 million in its first week and finished with $303 million in the US.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”, which released Dec 17 in US, is the third movie to pass $100 million in a week this year following “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1”, which grossed $168.7 million in its opening week, and “Guardians of the Galaxy” which racked $134.4 million in its first week.

“...Five Armies” is expected to lead the four-day Christmas weekend in the US with about $30 million to $35 million, followed by Disney’s opening of “Into the Woods”.