Avatar Becomes Highest-Grossing Film Ever

[John Funk]

Avatar Becomes Highest-Grossing Film Ever

Move over, Avatar [http://www.amazon.com/Titanic-Leonardo-DiCaprio/dp/B00000JLWW/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1280256134&sr=1-1] is now officially the highest-grossing film of all time, and it didn't even need a young Leonardo DiCaprio to do it.

You have to figure that director James Cameron is feeling pretty good about himself right now. Oh sure, on the one hand it must suck to see a twelve-year record that you set broken - 1997's Titanic is now no longer the highest-grossing film of all time. On the other hand, when it was one of your own films that broke the record, you really don't have much room to complain, now do you?

Yes folks, it's official: After only 40 days in theaters, James Cameron's Avatar has surpassed James Cameron's Titanic [http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017631564] as the highest-grossing film of all time - of all time! (Please stop doing that, Kanye.) 20th Century Fox puts Titanic's worldwide tally at a staggering $1,843,201,268, but even that impressive number wasn't enough to hold up to Avatar's $551 million at the domestic box office, and $1.3 billion at theaters around the world outside of the States.

Titanic still holds the domestic box office record by just under $49 million, but the sci-fi/fantasy epic will likely pass the disaster/romance film's high-water mark of $600.8 million before it leaves theaters. Given that this marks the sixth straight weekend that the film has grossed over $100 million at international box offices, it's likely that the final total for Avatar is going to be much, much higher. And it won't even need China's help [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97606-China-Bans-Avatar] going forward, either. Wowza.

This is, of course, not without caveats: Unlike Avatar, Titanic was never shown on more-expensive IMAX screens, and is still winning on the number of tickets sold. Furthermore, these numbers are completely unadjusted for inflation - if we take currency differences into account, Avatar is only #26 on the top-grossing films of all time, while Titanic is up at #6. Adjusted for inflation, the number one film is still Gone With the Wind.

But that shouldn't take away from the accomplishment too much. As we say in the biz, Mr. Cameron - "Grats."

(Thanks [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.171115], CosmicCommander!)

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[rossatdi]

Yeah, well its got nothing on the Dark Knight in terms of acting, script, character and ... well basically everything except visual effects.

The world's become a population of graphics whores!

 

[Eagle Est1986]

A great way for the film industry to start a new decade. A new standard by which all things shall be measured.

Still don't know how Titanic ever had that record anyways, it was good but not that good. Mind you, Avatar isn't the greatest movie ever either so there we have it.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[John Funk]

Yeah, well its got nothing on the Dark Knight in terms of acting, script, character and ... well basically everything except visual effects.

The world's become a population of graphics whores!

The world of Pandora is easily the most fleshed-out fictional environment ever created for a film. The sheer level of detail in the movie makes Batman cry.

A great way for the film industry to start a new decade. A new standard by which all things shall be measured.

Still don't know how Titanic ever had that record anyways, it was good but not that good. mind you, Avatar isn't the greatest movie ever either so there we have it.

23-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio. That's how.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Proof that hype and marketing can overcome brilliance of writing, acting and story.

Urgh, I wish this movie had never been made, all things considered, and I really don't like what it's becoming top grossing etc will do to the film industry.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Oh Funk, you just had to include a Kanye West joke.

I don't blame you, we all do it.

 

[Drakenforge]

I guess when we think of Dark Knight we don't think of the dark knights terrible acting now do we?

Ha. Avatar is better. Awesome film.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Guess Mr Cameron's glad he decided to hold off in 1996, can't imagine it doing half as well with blue body paint aliens.

What's the betting that when he turns 66(and 6 months) a firey maw will open up under James Cameron's feet and swallow him whole? Anyone this succesful has to have sold their soul to someone...

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Yeah, well its got nothing on the Dark Knight in terms of acting, script, character and ... well basically everything except visual effects.

The world's become a population of graphics whores!

The world of Pandora is easily the most fleshed-out fictional environment ever created for a film. The sheer level of detail in the movie makes Batman cry.

A great way for the film industry to start a new decade. A new standard by which all things shall be measured.

Still don't know how Titanic ever had that record anyways, it was good but not that good. mind you, Avatar isn't the greatest movie ever either so there we have it.

23-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio. That's how.

I'd just like to add onto the first point you made about the Batman quote and say that they made this from scratch whereas they already had characters laid out for Batman, not only because it was a sequel...but because it was freakin' Batman. Everything was superb in Avatar...everything. Except for the fact that the helicopter pilot wasn't wearing a oxygen mask while she was flying even though the cabinet was open....Unless they somehow figured out how to pressurize and what not in the helicopter with the doors wide open.

But yeah, we can argue this 'till the cows come home.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

23-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio. That's how.

Was he really that big at the time? I don't think I was even aware of him before Titanic, but then I was 11 at the time I think. Big fan of him these days mind you, now he's 'grown up'.

 

[Rainboq]

not surprised, Cameron makes mostly good films

 

[DuplicateValue]

Yeah, well its got nothing on the Dark Knight in terms of acting, script, character and ... well basically everything except visual effects.

The world's become a population of graphics whores!

The Dark Knight wasn't actually that good a movie. If it wasn't for Heath Ledger's performance, the movie wouldn't be as undeservedly popular as it is.

OT: I'm not surprised at this - Avatar was a brilliant movie, and the visuals and acting were well above the average. It's probably the movie I enjoyed the most this year.

 

[Sulu]

Yeah, well its got nothing on the Dark Knight in terms of acting, script, character and ... well basically everything except visual effects.

The world's become a population of graphics whores!

I thought people only watched Dark Knight cos the joker died and batman had a sore throat?

 

[lodo_bear]

The people have spoken, and they want computer-generated blue-skinned cat-people!

Seriously, how is this film having such an impact? There are reports of the film depressing people en masse [http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html], it's inspired its own kind of otherkin [http://community.livejournal.com/tothehometree/], China thought enough of it to stealth-ban it [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97606-China-Bans-Avatar], and now this...what gives this movie such power?

 

[Nemu]

1.8 billion dollars and I still have zero interest in this movie. *shrug*

Not trying to sound like a "typical" apathetic internet crawler (tho apathy is a general attitude of mine), I had no interest in it before it's release, either.

Tho, I will agree that Cameron makes great popcorn flicks.

 

[Alex Ford]

I'd just like to add onto the first point you made about the Batman quote and say that they made this from scratch whereas they already had characters laid out for Batman, not only because it was a sequel...but because it was freakin' Batman. Everything was superb in Avatar...everything. Except for the fact that the helicopter pilot wasn't wearing a oxygen mask while she was flying even though the cabinet was open....Unless they somehow figured out how to pressurize and what not in the helicopter with the doors wide open.

But yeah, we can argue this 'till the cows come home.

It's common knowledge that spending so much in the magnetic fields of the Hallelujah mountains, may result in mutation of the lungs.

 

[Jared]

2 for 2 on the old films there Cameron, your break left us wanting more.

I am so glad ith as done so well this film is so epic and so much fun!!! Go go Cam!

 

[rossatdi]

The world of Pandora is easily the most fleshed-out fictional environment ever created for a film. The sheer level of detail in the movie makes Batman cry.

Blade Runner & Brazil. Both managed comparably much more impressive, and importantly, interesting worlds in my opinion. Blue cat monkeys are not why I'd call an inspired design choice.

I don't really see the point in telling a generic story really well and then polishing the hell out of it. Why not do something risky and try telling a challenging story?

Avatar just strikes me as generic fantasy sci-fi concept #11 fleshed out to the point of technicolored tedium.

The Dark Knight wasn't actually that good a movie. If it wasn't for Heath Ledger's performance, the movie wouldn't be as undeservedly popular as it is.

Wow, really? That's actually an opinion people manage to have? That's just jaw droppingly bizarre. I'm normally pretty good and seeing the other side of an argument but can't see, just can't see it here.

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Addendum: So far nothing has made me able to empathise with a CGI creation in a dramatic role. Johnny 5 had soul - Na'vi don't even stir a mild concern.