'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' Exceeds $500 million Worldwide

According to 'Variety' website, ' The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug''s box office gross has exceeded $500 million after two weeks from its worldwide theatrical release.

The Peter Jackson-directed film has topped the American box office list since its release 0n the 13th of December, and grossed nearly $160 million there, and $340 million from 57 other countries.

Director Peter Jackson is expecting a continuation of the film's successful performance through the new year, specially as it is still to be released in new markets like Japan and China.

The film is the second installment to The Hobbit trilogy, in which the first part ' An Unexpected Journey' has collected $714 million of its gross from foreign countries, while it earned $303 million in America, becoming one of 17 films to break the one billion dollars record in film history.