There was never any middle ground for James Cameron’s sci-fi spectacular Avatar: it was either going to be a studio-busting flop of epic proportions or one of the biggest hits ever produced. Last weekend, Avatar firmly cemented its status as the latter, earning enough money to pass the $1 billion mark internationally. (This makes Cameron the first director to enter the billion-dollar club twice, since his Titanic is still the all-time box-office champ at $1.8 billion.) Over the New Year’s frame, Avatar put some distance between itself and Christmas Day contenders Sherlock Holmes and Alvin And The Chipmunks, earning another $68.3 million for first place. Sherlock and Alvin were left to compete for second, with the former eking out a win with $38.4 million and the Squeakquel just behind with $36.6 million. (Sherlock is falling faster week to week, so look for them to change places next weekend.)
The week’s only substantial limited release, Michael Haneke’s Palme D’Or-winning The White Ribbon, performed well on three screens, drawing $20,400 per theater.
For more detailed numbers, visit Box Office Mojo.