Avatar sinks the Titanic!
Original Story:
It only took six weeks for James Cameron's new film to top his previous film's worldwide record. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Avatar has become the top-grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office passing Titanic's monumental worldwide gross.Avatar currently stands at $551.7 million at the domestic box office and $1.292 billion international box office, giving it a total of $1.843 billion, which passes the $1.84 billion that Titanic earned 13 years ago. Fox confirmed that the mark fell sometime early on Monday.
Avatar is still approximately $49 million away from Titanic's domestic box office record of $600.8 million.
The Hollywood Reporter reports the latest No. 1 weekend overseas tally was $108.3 million grossed from 11,925 screens in 111 markets. It was the sixth consecutive weekend that Avatar grossed more than $100 million on the foreign circuit.
Avatar is directed by James Cameron and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Peter Mensah, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, Stephen Lang and Matt Gerald.
Among the key territories on the weekend were: France (cume $124.8 million), Germany ($95.8 million), the U.K. ($93.2 million), South Korea ($79.7 million), Japan ($77.7 million), Australia ($77 million) and Spain ($76 million). "Avatar" is now the biggest-grossing film of all time in China, Spain, Russia, Hong Kong and Chile. It is the biggest Hollywood film ever to play in India.
The latest gross numbers underscore yet again the importance of the foreign circuit playoff to Avatar's success. Nearly 70% of the film's worldwide revenues come from overseas. That's about the same as the 67% slice of Titanic's worldwide total gross that originated abroad.
Peculiar to Avatar's success is the latest wave of exhibition technology. At least 65% of its overseas boxoffice and nearly 80% of its domestic earnings derive from 3D venues, which charge the equivalent of several dollars more than conventional theatrical sites. Imax locations worldwide playing Avatar have rolled up $134 million in 38 days at ticket prices at about $15 each.
Big contributors to Avatar's foreign success are China and Russia, two key territories that were not significant boxoffice factors when Titanic played overseas. On the weekend, Avatar secured $12.5 million in China, boosting the market cume to $103 million. In Russia, the weekend tally was $4.8 million for a market cume of $96.3 million.
Then there is the inflation factor. According to a formula developed by the department of U.S. Labor Statistics, Titanic's 1997 worldwide gross is worth at least $2.5 billion on an inflation adjusted basis, or $805 million domestic and $1.664 billion foreign.
Still champ is Gone With the Wind, which grossed $400 million worldwide in 1939, now worth at least $6 billion in today's dollars. One dollar in 1939 is the equivalent of $15.43 today.
Otherwise, the weekend lineup of the top five films overseas remained constant. Warner Bros.' Sherlock Holmes from director Guy Ritchie, stayed at No. 2 with $17.2 million from 4,758 screens in 58 markets for a cume of $197 million. In third place was Fox's family-oriented Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which garnered $11.6 million from 4,776 screens in 60 markets for a foreign cume of $175.2 million.
Thanks to openings in 17 territories, Paramount's Up in the Air, director Jason Reitman's comedy-drama starring George Clooney, emerged at No. 4 with $11.2 million derived from 2,039 spots in 23 markets for an early cume of $19.7 million. Fifth was It's Complicated, Universal's romantic comedy with Meryl Streep, which bagged $10.4 million from 2,569 situations in 32 territories for a cume of $50.9 million.
The latest gross numbers underscore yet again the importance of the foreign circuit playoff to Avatar's success. Nearly 70% of the film's worldwide revenues come from overseas. That's about the same as the 67% slice of Titanic's worldwide total gross that originated abroad.
Peculiar to Avatar's success is the latest wave of exhibition technology. At least 65% of its overseas boxoffice and nearly 80% of its domestic earnings derive from 3D venues, which charge the equivalent of several dollars more than conventional theatrical sites. Imax locations worldwide playing Avatar have rolled up $134 million in 38 days at ticket prices at about $15 each.
Big contributors to Avatar's foreign success are China and Russia, two key territories that were not significant boxoffice factors when Titanic played overseas. On the weekend, Avatar secured $12.5 million in China, boosting the market cume to $103 million. In Russia, the weekend tally was $4.8 million for a market cume of $96.3 million.
Then there is the inflation factor. According to a formula developed by the department of U.S. Labor Statistics, Titanic's 1997 worldwide gross is worth at least $2.5 billion on an inflation adjusted basis, or $805 million domestic and $1.664 billion foreign.
Still champ is Gone With the Wind, which grossed $400 million worldwide in 1939, now worth at least $6 billion in today's dollars. One dollar in 1939 is the equivalent of $15.43 today.
Otherwise, the weekend lineup of the top five films overseas remained constant. Warner Bros.' Sherlock Holmes from director Guy Ritchie, stayed at No. 2 with $17.2 million from 4,758 screens in 58 markets for a cume of $197 million. In third place was Fox's family-oriented Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which garnered $11.6 million from 4,776 screens in 60 markets for a foreign cume of $175.2 million.
Thanks to openings in 17 territories, Paramount's Up in the Air, director Jason Reitman's comedy-drama starring George Clooney, emerged at No. 4 with $11.2 million derived from 2,039 spots in 23 markets for an early cume of $19.7 million. Fifth was It's Complicated, Universal's romantic comedy with Meryl Streep, which bagged $10.4 million from 2,569 situations in 32 territories for a cume of $50.9 million.
Avatar was released December 18th, 2009 and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso. The film is directed by James Cameron.
Titanic was released April 4th, 2012 and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton, Bernard Hill. The film is directed by James Cameron.
Comments (123)
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Stefanos
This is no good,all of you said this movie is great and cool,but your eyes when you said this words,it's close! You are forget the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN,HARRY POTTER,LOTR,STAR WARS! All this movies is far away better,about story and graphics! Just tell,this movie have so good graphics? I do not think so! When you said this movie is the best,the same time you kill some others movies...or just you are forget the legends POTC,HP,LOTR,SW!
2 years agoby @stefanosFlag
T.Clark
Well...at least I put it in nicer terms lol
2 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
Lycan
Man, Brian Shut the f*ck up
2 years agoby @grand-makwaFlag
T.Clark
Brian, stop calling all superhero movies crappy just because you're sick of hearing about TDK. You know damn well that a lot of superhero movies are great. You're obviously too bias to make a distinction between crappy superhero movies and great ones. There's crappy sci-fi movies and great ones, but you're still gaga for Avatar. Same concept. I could sh*t on Avatar just because I hate sci-fi movies(I don't, but you get the point), and because of all the success it's had. But I don't.
2 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
Johnnyblaze09
Not yet sunk Titanic domestically but maybe this weekend's gross plus a couple of days for sure it will. This movie surely hit 2 Billion mark though fifty-fifty but still not declining and yet steadying on top which is very impressive.
2 years agoby @johnnyblaze09Flag
XSSIV
Now that it's broken the record, there's nothing more to say... RIGHT? C'mon, all... NEXT!
2 years agoby @xssivFlag
Brian
Hahaha.... Avatar was so UNDER-HYPED it was unreal. You get way more hype of out crappy superhero movies and summer tent-poles than you ever did for Avatar. I think the only thing the movie had going for it was that one line: James Cameron's first movie in 12 years. Who cares... don't you remember the months and months and months of "viral" hype The Dark Knight got? Then Heath Ledger died and the movie got even more press.
Guess what. Avatar still won. In 3D no less...
The thing is if the studios knew what the "secret gimmick" behind the film's success was, they'd all be doing it.... the thing is... the movie was just good, and people wanted a good movie after a slew of let downs lately. Avatar fulfilled their need for adventure...and it was done well. Nuff said.
2 years agoby @brianFlag
slysnide
@Mrman3810: It was way overhyped due to the success of JC's previous films, and the fact that this is his follow up to "Titanic" 12yrs earlier. Yep, nothing but 2 doc*mentaries and developing the new technoogy for the past 12yrs, so the expectations were through the roof, and when it broke records, more and more presumed that it was because the film was good rather than because it was James Cameron's first film since "Titanic" and is now #3 worldwide as far as inflation via $$$ & population% is concerned. #2 is still "Titanic" with a 2010 equivalent of $2,500,000,000 and #1 is "Gone With The Wind" with $6,000,000,000.
2 years agoby @slysnideFlag
slysnide
Alright, for those of you who want the specifics as to why myself and others thought this was the biggest upset of the year, here it is:
The plot being unoriginal makes for a very predictable story with all the trademark events you'd expect to see in such a film from 'A' to 'Z' without change from the numerous other tales like it. With that story and it's alright acting, both of which doesn't engage us as much as the visuals proves well enough that they may as well have remade Roland Emmerich's "2012" (2009) on Pandora, give or take a few natural disasters. Point being that the rave over the film centers around visuals, not acting or storytelling which is supposed to be engaging the viewers in a story that's meant to be taken seriously. By his own admittance, James Cameron's own longtime producer Jon Landau claimed that visuals was the best way to engage the audience, with complete disregard to the fact that if the story isn't enticing, then we're not prone to feel anything for the characters in this imaginary world like we would for the countless true stories in the history of just about every continent on our own planet.
The biggest flaw was the main character Jake Sully. For unlike other films like "Pocahontas" in which the foreigner John Smith INDIRECTLY assists his racist expedition leader John Ratcliffe in ravaging the native lands, Jake Sully DIRECTLY does it by revealing all the blueprints to the Na'vi's hometree and the extent of their army to Quartich every time he's unplugged from his avatar, only to be later surprised when the sh*t hits the fan. It's like, you directly dish out all the goods on the Na'vi to the leader of the most technological military in the galaxy and expect that they brought all their pricy toys just to come to a diplomatic solution? Are you kidding me? He even finds himself in awe of all the military technology when wheeling his way through Quaritch's hangar in the beginning of the film, yet didn't see this coming? Even when Quaritch referred to the Na'vi as savages from the beginning? See that's the problem, the stupidity of the main character. His fallacies are laughable, and on top of that his allies against Quaritch are overly typical to their counterparts from numerous films, books, and historical events to be anything unique. Flat characters whom some die unnecessarily at different points in the film for no apparent reason, prompting us to feel nothing for them due to how typical they are, while the flattest of characters straggle onwards.
For example, Neytiri's storytelling purposes expire once Jake finds himself being trained in the Na'vi tribe. Afterwards she takes a backseat until the climax where she's given a last hurrah for the excuse of not having her be totally invisible. When George Lucas was faced with this problem when writing "Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977) in regards to Obi-Wan Kenobi being useless after the Death Star escape, he decided to not let the wise wizard character with all the answers be diminished by taking a backseat during the final assault on the Death Star by killing him off earlier, thus prompting the invention of Yoda to replace him as Luke's teacher in "Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" (1980). Yet while more interesting characters like Grace and Tsu'Tey don't fare too well, Neytiri straggles with zero storytelling purposes till the end, this greatly eliminating her use and screentime until the end.
As for Tsu'Tey (Laz Alonso), you'd expect the natural result of a confrontation between the poser Jake, and Tsu'Tey being the real deal, but no. Nothing really comes of it, so I guess that can count as a surprise, but much more could've been done with this character that wasn't taken advantage of in the course of the latter half of the film. For while his playful rivalry between Jake remains as such until the truth is revealed, nothing really results from it once said truth is exposed. Thus eliminating what could've been a great story arc for the character.
Lastly, Jake doesn't do anything to win the battle. The Na'vi did, and whether they believed he didn't intend for the attack to happen is irrelavent since he's still an idiot for not forseeing this to begin with. So they either despise him for what they think he did on purpose (which in a way he did do it on purpose), or know he's a dumbass for taking them down. Either way, they should see that if it wasn't for him, HomeTree and its deceased inhabitants, including their tribe leader, would still be alive. So since Jake doesn't participate in the battle that much, and the Na'vi did it themselves, then they shouldn't be embracing him for the victory just cuz he caught the red bird. Any of them coulda done that with the meager skills Jake used to catch it. Point being, their intelligence seemed to surpass their beliefs such that they'd still loathe him even knowing he caught the red bird. They loathed him before for the right reasons, so they didn't seem unintelligent enough to just forget about all that once he caught the bird. And why does Neytiri embrace Jake at the end of this thing? He's solely responsible for the death of her father, friends, and destruction of her home, and did nothing in the final battle to save them, as he was too busy trying to save himself from Quaritch. So why does she love him? The red bird was a cheap cop out. And why kill Tsu-Tey? Great potential for a sequel, but he, and Grace needlessly while Parker leaves scott-free??? WTF?
So there it is, in so many words. Wanna debate and chit-chat the thing, then go to my latest review on my profile.
2 years agoby @slysnideFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
Lol Zany... eally mate? Haha.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
07cabrala
Wow..
Thats awesome news to all the poeple who made Avatar especially to Mr. James Cameron..
Congratulations..
2 years agoby @07cabralaFlag
ZanyZap
Good point, Slysnide and the Fallen.
Oh, and by the way, shut the f*ck up haters!
;P I think this has gone too far...
2 years agoby @zanyzapFlag
Johnnyblaze09
I thought this one's a review...wow, with all the ratings, etc... Fallen why not make it 4.5, ouch, you're almost there man! And I respect Slynide's but gonna have to read more below... And keep goin' Avatar 40% more sales than any other movies playing whether new or older, impressive, truly.
2 years agoby @johnnyblaze09Flag
The Narrator: The Better Man
Sh*t forget my comment, Slysnide's is almost spot on for me.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
Brian, I am not a hater. I gave it a solid 4.3 stars. I saw it at midnight showing here, and I really enjoyed it. But not enough to give in to die hard fanatics and definitely not enough to think it should have made the most money a film has. I gave Cameron his dues of "genius".
You on the other hand, seem as thou you are sucking his dick the way you go on about Avatar haters. And really? Out of all my reviews you choose Live Free or Die HArd to make fun of? Why? Because its a huge guilty pleasure, more so than Avatar for me? Or was it because you hate remakes and reboots, and didn't think it was worthy enough for the original?
And btw, "SUCK IT" has no merit with me. I mean you can say whatever the hell you want, but at least have something to back your unoriginal and childish retaliations. Even Newkill at times had better explanations and mature dialogue than you... ... .. at times.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
slysnide
I never said I hated it. I just don't understand why it is that the several who loved it have been bashing remake/reboot releases/announcements over the past 2yrs when A) this fits into the same category, and B) predictability is evident enough that there are zero surprises. If you were surprised, then you've either not A) read many books, B) seen many doc*mentaries/films, or C) have not absorbed the concept as relayed again and again in history. I have no problem with the money it's making. Good for JC, it worked. But I don't see why. Practically 60% of those who loved it say "Hurt Locker" was better for x reasons and none of that intensity that people say made it great conveys over in this movie. So let "Avatar" make another $4bil so it'll truly take the #1 spot away from "Gone With The Wind." And another $600mil to take the #2 spot away from "Titanic" (both feats it's yet to accomplish). I don't care. Population surges also play into inflation, since the percentages of the population who saw that film back then would've consisted of more people had the US population been 300mil and the culture back then being the same to embrace that film as much. I mean I don't know about you, but I didn't care for GWTW at all. The lead character was a swindling bitch who moaned and whined all the time to get her way, and the ending doesn't feel good or bad, just horrible. Not in that it was a bad ending, but it left you feeling that way. Point being that different flicks appeal to different people, so just cuz someone (like me) doesn't like "Avatar" doesn't mean I hate it and those who liked it. But given the circ*mstances and how several users here switch from bashing one thing for one reason, yet praise another for the very same reason is dowrnright absent minded. You can't hate one movie for the same reasons you love another when the characters are the same type and the only thing different is the setting with an overall unoriginal/overused style. Like Quentin Tarantino makes some good flicks, though the stories have been derived multiple times with completely different styles that are less engaging or more so depending on whether or not you like Quentin Tarantino's flicks.
For example, compare action flicks and what makes one good over another when they literally feature the same types of characters and setting with predictable plots. So what makes them good? Right, the style in which it's conveyed. The effects of "Avatar" are good, but truthfully are at par with average effects laden flicks. I mean it's easy to spot something that looks fake in that movie without having to already know that it was digital (even though we all already know that). And when counting in those who say JC did so much to bring Pandora to life such that it's better than ever, well, George Lucas created 7 new major planets for the "Star Wars" prequels, each with their own wealth of history, culture, and languages that have transcended books, tv series, video games, and the movies. IE--they have a legacy. Pandora is no different than any one of them. Sure the setting looks different, but it's not 1000% better just cuz it's in the #3 film of all time, or just because JC made it over 12yrs versus GL making 7 in 10.5yrs.
So don't immediately jump to the 'haters' remark. For if those of you using that term even took time to read their comments, then they're not all hating it. They're giving legitimate reasons found in real reviews as to why the film was lacking or not. And who cares how much money it makes. Like the 'haha haters' comments. WTF? It's not a competition people, so get with the program. Most reviews praise the effects over the story. I can list a couple paragraphs on the specifics to the flaws right here if I wanted to, but I think most would be too lazy to read them at all...if you're even still reading this. Otherwise, I'll willingly post it. Same goes for you lovers of it. Why specifically over JC's other movies. And please don't say effects. There's more to a movie than effects. Hence why RE made "2012," for moviegoers whom just want a visual experience, not one that tries to hide as a drama like "Avatar." And that's true, since JL & JC have been by their own admittance promoting it as an engaging drama through the visuals, not the story. Point in all this being, I've yet to read one positive review for the film that expands beyond the words "the effects were cool," though dragged out into a few paragraphs. Or mere sentences that aren't even reviews, but comments. Hell all I've just written exceeds the length of many reviews on this site. And that's plain sad considering I dish it all at once while others are caught up in the pointless box office revenue competition while blasting so called 'haters' whom have legitimate reasons to dislike the film that they know the lovers won't listen to cuz their vocabulary ends with 'shut the f*ck up haters.'
2 years agoby @slysnideFlag
Dan
I don't mind if people didn't like the movie. I know I enjoyed it, and I leave it at that. The thing I'm looking forward to is seeing if he can improve on it's script a great in the second installment.
2 years agoby @dan1Flag
IamBATMAN
hey Brian... that news can get the f*ck off the site too cause as far as im concerned its about as, if not more, sh*tty than avatar
2 years agoby @iambatmanFlag
CelluloidDreams
WOW!!!!!
2 years agoby @2movieguysFlag
Brian
Hey @iambatman, how about more news about how such-and-such movie is coming out in 3D? Sound better?
2 years agoby @brianFlag
IamBATMAN
yippee, congratulations
now that it can no longer pass a movie on the $'s list, can we get some better movie news on this site rather than the "how much has avatar made today" stuff
2 years agoby @iambatmanFlag
Brian
Haha... yeah @insertusernamehere, I know... I'm just enjoying rubbing it in these haters' faces at this point. The fact remains, it's the highest grossing film of all-time... hate it or not, you gotta respect what 1 filmmaker can achieve.
2 years agoby @brianFlag
T.Clark
I mean, I have no problem if you love Avatar. Everyone needs a good sci-fi favorite. But don't be childish when people don't like it as much as you.
2 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
T.Clark
Brain, you're starting to sound like a Pro-Avatar Newkill.
2 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
WiseGuy
Yaaaaaaaaaaa babbyyyy. Not the best movie ever, did have some flaws in the story, but was still awesome.
2 years agoby @zgcorleone072Flag
Brian
@tripleredx You're so new school to movieweb, you dont count son. Not to mention the fact that you're claiming Titanic is the "best movie EVER made".
@jasonbourne49.... clean your ears. I said SUCK IT. Why don't you go give Live Free or Die Hard another 4.5 stars. Are you related to @tripleredx?
By the way everyone who is a hater.... #AVATAR is crushing your little hopes and dreams you have for the crappy movies you love. All I have to say is: HA!
2 years agoby @brianFlag
Lycan
OK. it made alot of money, but do the avatar fans really need to sh*t their pants when someone says they didnt like the movie?
2 years agoby @grand-makwaFlag
Johnnyblaze09
I mean, still there's one left to break... I think... Domestic to go Avatar....
2 years agoby @johnnyblaze09Flag
Johnnyblaze09
Can't say more, speechless now, for the expectations were answered.... he just define what a movie should be. (hehe)
2 years agoby @johnnyblaze09Flag
Filmbuff
Fair play to Cameron, yeah it's not the greatest film ever made (that title, in my opinion, belongs to The Shawshank Redemption) but it is a pretty spectacular visual treat, one that needs to be seen on the big screen. If you don't like it, fair enough, but you have to admire JC and what he's achieved making this movie.
2 years agoby @i-know-kungfuFlag