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Peter Jackson's feature film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit set a new box office record this weekend with an estimated $84 million in U.S. ticket sales.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey made history as the biggest December opening of all time for its first week. The flick also stands as the highest first-weekend earner among Jackson's Lord of the Rings films (without adjustments for inflation).

Related: 'The Hobbit' Stars on 'Returning to Middle-Earth'

In a far second, the family friendly Rise of the Guardians earned $7.4 million. Stephen Spielberg's Lincoln placed a close third with $7.2 million.

Skyfall, the latest James Bond film starring Daniel Craig, took in $7 million for forth. Life of Pi rounded out the top five with $5.4 million.