Box Office: 'Avatar' welcomes 2010 with $68M!

Weekend of January 1 – 3, 2010: "Avatar" races past $1 billion worldwide; 'Holmes' still strong

James Cameron’s “Avatar” has done it! The sci-fi action adventure raced past $1 billion worldwide this weekend after earning another stunning $68.3 million domestically and reaching a total of $670.2 million on the international circuit.

Domestically, “Avatar” lifted its total gross to $352.1 million after only 17 days in release. The film scored a solid average of $19,724 per theater at 3,461 locations, easily beating its competition at the North American box office.

At No. 2, Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” bagged $38.3 million, reaching a cume of $140.6 million after a superb two-week run. The film starring Robert Downey Jr. finished with an average of $10,586 per theater at 3,626 locations.

Also performing well was “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” which picked up another $36.6 million and brought is domestic total to $157.3 million at No. 3. To compare, the first film finished its domestic run with $217.3 million. 

Still at No. 4 was Nancy Meyers’ comedy “It’s Complicated,” which pulled $18.7 million for a total haul of $59.1 million. Following in fifth place with $12.6 million was “The Blind Side,” which finally passed the $200 million mark ($209 million).

Meanwhile, “Up in the Air” picked up $11.3 million in ticket sales at 1,895 locations, reaching a cumulative gross of $45 million. The Jason Reitman-directed drama starring George Clooney finished sixth on the chart this weekend.

Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” earned $10 million at No. 7, lifting its total gross to $86 million. At No. 8, “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” generated $5.2 million for a cume of $25.6 million.

Rounding out the top 10 this weekend were “Nine,” which bagged $4.3 million in ninth place ($14 million total), and “Invictus,” which finished with earnings of $4.1 million (cume: $30.7 million).

What a great way to start 2010 at the box office, huh? Keep going to the movies folks!

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