The premiere of the second instalment of the Hobbit trilogy takes place in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the events of An Unexpected Journey, in which Bilbo Baggins travels with Gandalf and a company of 13 dwarves into the Kingdom of Erebor to fight with the dragon Smaug.
Variety magazine executive editor Steven Gaydos told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme the first Hobbit film was not a great critical success, but it did great business.
"The last one did about $US1 billion and I expect this one will do about $US1 billion. I tend to think that these films are kind of like the quiet blockbusters, there isn't this frenzy around them of publicity, but they're huge and people love them."
While media attention has moved on to other films, he said fans all over the world are continuing to flock to the Hobbit films.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be in cinemas worldwide on 13 December.
