'Avatar' now B.O. king of the world (HWD)

By Paul Dergarabedian

Courtesy 20th Century Fox

It's official. "Avatar" passed "Titanic" on Monday to seize the worldwide box office crown from "Titanic," 20th Century Fox reports. (See also Hollywood.com Box Office)

James Cameron's otherworldly epic has taken in $1.859 billion in global revenue in just 39 days.�

The previous $1.843 billion record set in 1998 by Cameron's last big movie, "Titanic," for a long time had seemed almost impossible to beat.

With combined foreign and North American figures running higher than $100 million each weekend even six weeks into "Avatar's" run, $2 billion looks increasingly realistic.

With a Golden Globe for best picture drama and multiple Oscar nominations on the horizon, "Avatar" could hit this previously unthinkable number before the end of the month.

The North American figure for �Avatar� now stands at $555 million and should surpass �Titanic�s� record $600.8 million by Sunday evening or the middle of next week.

TOP 5 WORLDWIDE GROSSING FILMS (as of 01/25/10)

� Rank / Title (Distributor) / Gross / Release date

1. "Avatar"* (Fox) $1,859 billion, 12/18/09
2. "Titanic" (Paramount/Fox) $1.843 billion, 12/19/97
3. "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (New Line) $1.129 billion, 12/17/03
4. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
(Disney) $1.061 billion, 7/7/06
5. "The Dark Knight" (WB) $1.022 billion, 7/18/08

*STILL PLAYING

Hollywood.com Box Office / Copyright 2010