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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has maintained its position at the top of the US box office charts.

Peter Jackson’s movie has taken $32.9 million this weekend, according to studio estimates.

Christmas Day releases Django Unchained and Les Misérables enter the standings in second and third position, taking $30.7 million and $28 million respectively.

Billy Crystal comedy Parental Guidance is the last of three new entries in the top ten, debuting at four with takings of $14.8 million.

The top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – $32.9 million
2. (-) Django Unchained – $30.7 million
3. (-) Les Misérables – $28 million
4. (-) Parental Guidance – $14.8 million
5. (2) Jack Reacher – $14 million
6. (3) This is 40 – $13.1 million
7. (5) Lincoln – $7.5 million
8. (6) The Guilt Trip – $6.7 million
9. (7) Monsters, Inc. 3D – $6.4 million
10. (4) Rise of the Guardians – $4.9 million

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has taken the number one spot in the US box office for the second week in a row.

The first instalment in director Peter Jackson’s fantasy trilogy took in $36.7m, bringing its total gross to $149.8m.

Tom Cruise’s latest action film Jack Reacher debuted at second place with $15.6m, while Judd Apatow’s new comedy This is 40 also made its debut in third place, earning $12m.

Rise of the Guardians and Lincoln slipped from second and third place to fourth and fifth place.

Two other new releases made the top ten – The Guilt Trip at number six with $5.3m and Monsters, Inc. 3D at seven with $5m.

Rounding out the top ten are Skyfall, Life of Pi and Breaking Dawn: Part 2.

The top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – $36.7 million
2. (-) Jack Reacher – $15.6 million
3. (-) This is 40 – $12 million
4. (2) Rise of the Guardians – $5.9 million
5. (3) Lincoln – $5.6 million
6. (-) The Guilt Trip – $5.3 million
7. (-) Monsters, Inc. 3D – $5 million
8. (4) Skyfall – $4.7 million
9. (5) Life of Pi – $3.8 million
10. (6) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $2.6 million

The Walking Dead has been renewed for a fourth season, but Glen Mazzara is to step down as showrunner.

The AMC horror drama, based on a comic series, stars Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Danai Gurira and Laurie Holden as survivors in a zombie apocalypse.

Mazzara explained: “My time as showrunner on The Walking Dead has been an amazing experience, but after I finish season three, it’s time to move on.

“I have told the stories I wanted to tell and connected with our fans on a level that I never imagined. It doesn’t get much better than that.

“Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey.”

In a statement on Mazzara’s exit, AMC said: “Both parties acknowledge that there is a difference of opinion about where the show should go moving forward, and conclude that it is best to part ways.

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Discovery has cancelled its reality series American Guns.

The network announced its decision to end the programme on Monday (December 17), mere days after the Newtown massacre, but did not directly link its decision to the tragedy.

Discovery’s press representative said in a statement: “American Guns concluded earlier this year. Discovery Channel chose not to renew the series and has no plans to air repeats of the show.”

A production source additionally told Deadline that Discovery decided to end the series months ago, but kept the news quiet until now.

American Guns chronicled the lives of Rich Wyatt’s blended family of gun manufacturers and customizers.

The series ran for 26 episodes across two seasons in the last year.

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has easily topped the US box office chart, grossing over $84 million in its first weekend on release.

The Peter Jackson-directed Lord of the Rings prequel set a new December box office record in the process, beating the three-day earnings of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which scooped $73.3 million in 2003.

Last week’s chart-topper Skyfall dropped to four, earning $7 million in its sixth week on release, while The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 also crashed three places to six with $5.175 million.

Life of Pi stayed steady at five, with Wreck-It Ralph, Playing for Keeps and Red Dawn all remaining to hold onto a top ten spot.

Silver Linings Playbook also climbed up one place to ten after also being honoured with a clutch of SAG and Golden Globe nominations.

The top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – $84.775 million
2. (2) Rise of the Guardians – $7.42 million
3. (4) Lincoln – $7.244 million
4. (1) Skyfall – $7 million
5. (5) Life of Pi – $5.4 million
6. (3) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $5.175 million
7. (7) Wreck-It Ralph – $3.273 million
8. (6) Playing for Keeps – $3.247 million
9. (8) Red Dawn – $2.394 million
10. (11) Silver Linings Playbook – $2.084 million

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has broken the record for the highest-grossing Friday release ever in December, earning $37.5 million (£23.2m) at the US box office.

Warner Bros is predicting the film will take in $85m over the weekend, which is also a record for December, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The Hobbit already has made $57m (£35m) overseas during its three-day release from December 12. Its worldwide gross currently stands at $94.5m (£58.4m).

The movie reunites Peter Jackson with his Lord of the Rings actors including Sir Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis.

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Skyfall has risen to top the US box office this weekend.

The latest James Bond film, starring Daniel Craig, knocked The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 from pole position in its fifth week on release, grossing $11 million. The final film in the Twilight franchise fell to third place this week, earning $9.2 million.

DreamWorks animation Rise of the Guardians, featuring the voices of Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin and Jude Law, also jumped up a spot to number two, with $10.54 million.

The chart’s sole new entry came from Gerard Butler romantic comedy Playing for Keeps, which debuted at six with a first-week domestic gross of $6 million.

Lincoln and Life of Pi remained at fourth and fifth place respectively, with Red Dawn and Flight also non-movers.

Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph and Brad Pitt film Killing Them Softly complete the top ten.

The top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (2) Skyfall – $11 million
2. (3) Rise of the Guardians – $10.54 million
3. (1) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $9.2 million
4. (4) Lincoln – $9.115 million
5. (5) Life of Pi – $8.3 million
6. (-) Playing for Keeps – $6 million
7. (6) Wreck-It Ralph – $4.904 million
8. (8) Red Dawn – $4.261 million
9. (9) Flight – $3.13 million
10. (7) Killing Them Softly – $2.748 million

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 has topped the US box office chart for a third week.

The final film of the franchise took $17.4m over the weekend, to bring its total domestic gross to over $254.5m.

The rest of the box office top ten remains mostly unchanged, with Daniel Craig’s latest James Bond outing Skyfall remaining runner-up with $17m, and the Daniel Day Lewis-starring historical biopic Lincoln in third place with $13.509m.

Rise of the Guardians, Life of Pi and Wreck-It Ralph are all also non-movers this weekend, earning $13.5m, $12m and $7.02m respectively.

New entries this week come from Brad Pitt crime thriller Killing Them Softly, which debuts in seventh place with $7m, and horror sequel The Collection, ending up at ten with $3.4m.

Red Dawn drops one place to eight, as does Flight, from eight to nine.

The top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $17.41 million
2. (2) Skyfall – $17 million
3. (3) Lincoln – $13.509 million
4. (4) Rise of the Guardians – $13.5 million
5. (5) Life of Pi – $12 million
6. (6) Wreck-It Ralph – $7.02 million
7. (-) Killing Them Softly – $7 million
8. (7) Red Dawn – $6.55 million
9. (8) Flight – $4.54 million
10. (-) The Collection – $3.409 million