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LOS ANGELES -- "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug", the second of three Hobbit films, snatched the first place at North America box office this weekend.

The film debuted a solid start with 73.7 million US dollars at 3,903 theaters in north America, according to studio estimates, delivering the fourth largest opening weekend ever in the month of December, trailing only "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", "I Am Legend" and "Avatar".

However, it was short of expectations and had a 13 percent decline from 84.62 million dollars debut of last year's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey". The third and the final Hobbit, "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" arrives on Dec 17, 2014.

The sequel earned 9.18 million dollars, which is 12.5 percent of its gross, at IMAX theaters this weekend. 3D grosses were up to 49 percent of its total revenue in north America.

Globally, the film was very popular and earned 131.2 million dollars in other regions out of north America, which made up 64 percent of its worldwide gross.

The audience breakdown for the sequel leaned to male moviegoers, about 60 percent, and moviegoers over 25 years old is about 64 percent.

The movie earned an "A-" from first-night moviegoers, according to CinemaScore. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 74 percent "fresh" score.