'Book of Eli' beats 'Avatar' at box office Friday

'Avatar' defeated at Friday box office! Denzel Washington rules for now...

Albert and Allen Hughes' post-apocalyptic action flick "The Book of Eli" kicked James Cameron's sci-fi hit "Avatar" off the throne at the North American box office Friday with a solid $11.7 million in ticket sales.

Playing at 3,111 locations, "Eli" scored an average of $3,769 per theater. The film stars Denzel Washington as a loner who travels across what's left of the U.S. to protect a book that may hold all hope for humanity.

Cameron's "Avatar" scored another $10.4 million Friday, lifting its domestic total to $460.8 million. The film is expected to pass "Star Wars" tomorrow and become the third highest-grossing film domestially.

Following in third place, Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones" picked up $5.7 million, reaching an early total gross of $6.1 million. At No. 4, "Sherlock Holmes" bagged $2.8 million for a cumulative gross of $173 million.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate's new release "The Spy Next Door" debuted in sixth place with $2.4 million. Jackie Chan plays a spy who babysits his girlfriend's kids and must protect them from Russian terrorists.

At No. 5 Friday, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" generated $2.4 million for a domestic total of $183.5 million. BTW, "Avatar" will probably end up winning the weekend race one more time.

Source: Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com)