A strong China run should guarantee that The Hobbit’ crosses the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office. Through Sunday, the film has crossed $278.2 million domestically and $609.3 million worldwide for a total $887.5 million.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” has secured a Feb. 22 opening in China, the last major market for the New Line-MGM tentpole.

Warner Bros. disclosed the date Monday as part of updating the international results with $26.2 million in its fifth weekend at 10,370 screens in 64 markets, bringing the foreign cume to $609.3 million. Domestic cume is $278.2 million for a worldwide total of $887.5 million, 27th highest all-time.

Top five-week cumes for “The Hobbit” are $79.8 million in Germany, $78.4 million in Germany, $42.1 million in France and $41.6 million in Russia. It has grossed $36 million in Australia after three weekends.

Sony-MGM’s “Skyfall” will open Jan. 21 launch in China, nearly three months after the Bondpic rolled out in the U.K.

Hollywood tentpoles — and especially those released in 3D — have been doing huge business in China, where moviegoing is flourishing thanks to an exploding middle class.