"Avatar" becomes highest ever grossing movie, with more than $1 billion worldwide so far

by Rob Welham

BEIJING, January 27, 2010, (Xinhuanet) --

"Avatar", James Cameron's sci-fi spectacular, has topped box office sales and surpassed Titanic to become the highest grossing movie of all time.

This photo shows a poster of James Cameron's box office behemoth "Avatar" . "Avatar" has topped box office sales and surpassed Titanic to become the highest grossing movie of all time. (XInhua/Reuters file photo)

Figures from distributor 20th Century Fox show Avatar's worldwide takings as being 1.859 billion U.S. dollars in just six weeks. Cameron's Titanic's took 1.843 billion dollars.

The figures have not been adjusted for inflation however, nor the higher ticket prices asked for the 3D version. Director James Cameron now holds the distinction of directing both the world's top grossing movies. Titanic, which starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, set a new box office record during its release in 1997-1998. It also won Cameron an Oscar for best director.

"Avatar", Cameron's latest epic, won two Golden Globes last week, and is expected to garner an Oscar nomination next month. Earlier this month, it became the fastest movie ever to achieve 1 billion dollars in ticket sales around the world, and took over second place from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

It has proved a worldwide sensation, dominating the box office from North America to China and Russia. The science-fiction adventure, about a disabled marine who infiltrates a race of giant blue aliens and helps save the race from human miners, mixes live action with digitally-created performances. It is reportedly the most expensive film ever made, with a budget of at least 300 million dollars.

Editor: Helen Mo

The movie is about how invading forces with high tech weapons looking for raw materials and destroying people and their environment are defeated by the simple native people and their environmental allied forces.

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