"Avatar" now No. 3 among top film grossers

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-07 15:29
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LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – "Avatar" now sits at No. 3 on the list of all-time worldwide box office hits.

James Cameron's sci-fi epic had earned $1.1 billion through Tuesday, blowing past "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" -- which plundered $1.07 billion in global booty in 2006. It is now gunning for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," which pulled in $1.12 billion in 2003.

Cameron's 1997 blockbuster "Titanic" sits atop the historic rankings with $1.84 billion. By next week, "Avatar" is expected to dock somewhere south of "Titanic," though few believe it can steam past the disaster pic for top global bragging rights.

The total for "Avatar" includes $367.5 million in North America and a doubly stupendous $731.2 million internationally.