Disney pic earns $210.3 million at worldwide b.o.

Disney’s 3D “Alice in Wonderland” went on a worldwide adventure with an estimated $210.3 million, including domestic earnings of $116.3 million at 3,728 playdates. The Tim Burton pic became the highest-grossing first-quarter opener and scored the all-time highest three-day, nonholiday bow for a nonsequel film in the U.S.

Overseas, “Alice” earned $94 million at 5,600 screens in some 40 territories, repping about 60% of the international market.

The 3D fantasy screened at 2,063 3D-equipped locations domestically with an additional 188 Imax locations, totalling approximately 65% of the film’s total domestic screens.

Playing second fiddle to “Alice” was the frame’s other wide release, Overture’s “Brooklyn’s Finest,” exceeding expectations with an estimated $13.5 million at 1,936 screens. Pic walks its beat just a week after the studio launched its horror remake “The Crazies,” which grossed $7 million at 2,479 engagements in its soph sesh.

Overture benefited from strategic counterprogramming, launching the R-rated “Brooklyn’s Finest” opposite the family-friendly “Alice.”

Tracking for “Finest” was strongest in urban areas, including New York, Philadelphia and Boston, with 86% of auds non-Caucasian and 60% over 30. Pic stars Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and Richard Gere as corrupt NYPD police officers.

Counterprogramming aside, studios had been braced for an “Alice”-dominated weekend; the frame saw a robust 64% uptick compared with the same weekend last year.

The much-anticipated 3D title had been under recent scrutiny over Disney’s announcement to shorten the film’s theatrical-to-DVD window from a traditional 16-week run to just over 12 weeks. The studio plans to implement the shorter run on two major tentpoles a year, starting with “Alice.”

Major overseas exhibs even went so far as to threaten a boycott of the film but eventually reached an agreement with the Mouse House.

Still, Disney didn’t lose any of its muchness.

“Alice” turned in a massive $41 million on Friday then saw an 8% uptick on Saturday with $44.3 million.

Pic marks Burton’s highest opener, easily surpassing his previous record-holder, “Planet of the Apes,” which opened with $68.5 million in 2001. “Alice,” toplining frequent Burton collaborator Johnny Depp, also beat the launch of

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (which earned $56.1 million) as the duo’s previous top opening.

“Put Tim, Johnny and Mia (Wasikowska) together, shake it up, and you’ve got one magic potion,” Disney prexy of domestic distribution Chuck Viane said. “Those who saw the tracking and suggested it was higher than normal would have never put it near this.”

The film’s 3D component boosted the overall performance in a big way.

While Disney said total 3D figures were not yet available, Imax alone reported an estimated worldwide take of $14.9 million. Domestic earnings totaled $11.9 million, beating 20th Century Fox’s “Avatar” with $9.5 million for the exhib’s all-time highest opening.

Imax film division prexy-chairman Greg Foster credited “Avatar” as a main reason for 3D success, saying, “People went and saw ‘Avatar,’ had a fantastic experience and are coming back for more.”

“Alice” begins an onslaught of 3D product entering the market in the coming months, with Paramount’s toon “How to Train Your Dragon” set to launch March 26, followed by Warner Bros.’ “Clash of the Titans” on April 2. “Avatar” is still playing at 661 3D engagements out of a total 2,163.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

Scorsese pic nabs top spot over ‘Cops,’ ‘Crazies’

Paramount continued its successful scare tactic this weekend at the domestic B.O. with Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island” holding on to the top spot in its soph sesh for an estimated gross of $22.2 million at 3,003 engagements.

Frame’s wide releases, Warner Bros.’ buddy comedy “Cop Out,” starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, as well as Overture’s horror-thriller pic “The Crazies,” turned in solid estimates with $18.6 million and $16.5 million, respectively.

Both films exceeded studio expectations in what was predicted to be a soft weekend at the box office, playing well in urban areas despite harsh weather conditions on the East Coast.

At the specialty B.O., Sony Pictures Classics debuted its Oscar-nominated foreign-lingo pic “A Prophet” at 9 locations for an estimated $170,354. Distrib will continue its steady roll out of the film, hoping to benefit from the Oscar telecast set to air a week from today.

“A Prophet” scored an impressive per-screen average of $18,928, matched only by Summit’s Roman Polanski pic “The Ghost Writer,” which earned $20,233 per screen after expanding to 43 locations in its soph sesh. Pic grossed an estimated $870,000 for a cume of $1.1 million.

Another Oscar hopeful and box office phenom, 20th Century Fox’s “Avatar,” continued to raise the benchmark with a cume of $706.9 million after earning $14 million — down just 14% in its eleventh frame. “Avatar” matched its Stateside dominance with high-flying potency overseas, grossing an estimated $36.1 million at 6,535 screens in 70 markets. Pic’s international cume stands at $1.8 billion for a worldwide total of $2.55 billion.

The weekend saw a fiercely competitive frame with the top three grossers (all R-rated) targeted at similar demos.

“Cop Out,” directed by fanboy auteur Kevin Smith, played best among male auds. Those under 25 accounted for more than 60% of the film’s overall attendance, while

“The Crazies” saw a similar boost of 65% from the same age group with a more even split between men and women.

“The Crazies,” about small-town residents driven insane by a toxic water supply, is the remake of a 1973 George Romero-pic of the same name. Pic is the latest installment in a host of Romero re-boots, including the helmer’s original “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) and “Dawn of the Dead” (1978). The later remake, released in 2004, opened to $26.7 million at 2,745.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Shutter Island,” $22.2 million.

2. “Cop Out,” $18.6 million.

3. “The Crazies,” $16.5 million.

4. “Avatar,” $14 million.

5. “Percy Jackson&the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” $9.8 million.

6. “Valentine’s Day,” $9.5 million.

7. “Dear John,” $5 million.

8. “The Wolfman,” $4.1 million.

9. “The Tooth Fairy,” $3.5 million.

10. “Crazy Heart,” $2.5 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

Scorsese thriller scared up $40.2 million

Paramount rolled out its Martin Scorsese thriller “Shutter Island” this weekend with solid results, scaring up an estimated $40.2 million at 2,991 playdates — the biggest opening for both Scorsese and star Leonardo DiCaprio.

As the only wide release, “Shutter Island” had no trouble overpowering the frame’s holdover crop, led by Warner Bros.’ “Valentine’s Day,” which fell to the No. 2 spot in its soph sesh, earning $17.2 million.

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox’s holdover giant “Avatar” maintained a strong grip on the box office, grossing an estimated $16.1 million in its 10th frame for a domestic cume of $687.8 million, while the studio’s family-friendly offering “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” followed with $15.3 million, down 51% in its soph sesh for a cume of $58.5 million.

Universal’s “The Wolfman” lost a considerable amount of steam after a successful launch last weekend, dropping 69% with an estimated gross of $9.8 million. “Wolfman” opened to $35.6 million and has a cume of $50.3 million.

Overall, the frame’s top 10 gained 6% over the same weekend last year.

In limited release, Summit bowed its Roman Polanski mystery pic “The Ghost Writer” at four locations, grossing an estimated $179,000 for an impressive per-screen average of $44,750.

“Shutter Island” launched day-and-date at 462 locations in nine overseas territories, earning an estimated $9.1 million. The film’s top earnings came from Spain, where it grossed $3.4 million.

On the domestic front, tracking for the R-rated film was evenly split at 51% male and 49% female and played consistently among age groups 17 and up.

Par vice chair Rob Moore praised Scorsese and credited the director as one of the leading factors contributing to a healthy opening.

“It feels like a movie that garners a lot of attention in conversation,” Moore said. “I think the good thing about the way the film is positioned, for older audiences looking for movies in this genre, this movie now has a pretty clear playing field to run.”

Scorsese’s previous top opener, “The Departed,” earned $26.9 million in its first weekend in 2006, while DiCaprio’s best-opening film was Steven Spielberg’s 2003 pic “Catch Me if You Can” with $30.1 million. Both players typically see strong holdover performances. “The Departed,” Scorsese’s highest-grossing film so far, earned $132.4 million. “Titanic” still ranks as DiCaprio’s top earner with domestic totals reaching $600.8 million.

“Shutter Island” tells the story of two U.S. marshals, played by DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo, who investigate the case of a missing woman at a hospital for the criminally insane. Topnotch supporting cast includes Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. Pic screened out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival last week.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Shutter Island,” $40.2 million.

2. “Valentine’s Day,” $17.2 million.

3. “Avatar,” $16.1 million.

4. “Percy Jackson&the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” $15.3 million.

5. “The Wolfman,” $9.8 million.

6. “Dear John,” $7.3 million.

7. “The Tooth Fairy,” $4.5 million.

8. “Crazy Heart,” $3 million.

9. “From Paris With Love,” $2.5 million.

10. “Edge of Darkness,” $2.2 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

With $66.9 mil at 3,665 locations, ‘Valentine’s Day’ became the highest grossing film over the holiday frame.

Moviegoers took “Valentine’s Day” to heart this year — and then some.

Warner Bros.’ romantic ensemble turned in a whopping four-day estimate of $66.9 million at 3,665 locations to become the all-time highest-grossing film over Presidents Day weekend, beating Sony’s “Ghost Rider,” which took $52 million when it bowed in 2007.

The frame’s other wide openers, 20th Century Fox’s kidlit adaptation “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” and Universal’s “The Wolfman,” helped make it the most profitable Presidents Day Weekend yet with $238 million, up 9% over last year’s benchmark of $220 million.

“Percy” earned an estimated $38.8 million at 3,356, while “Wolfman” took in $36.5 million at 3,222.

At the specialty B.O., Fox Searchlight saw big turnouts for its Oscar-nommed “Crazy Heart” with four-day estimates totaling $5 million at 1,005 locations. The distrib’s other release, “My Name Is Khan,” scored the highest opening for a Bollywood film in the U.S. with $2.3 million at 102.

“Valentine’s Day” matched its top domestic performance with strong day-and-date turnouts overseas, earning $35 million through Sunday at 4,562 screens in 57 territories. The pic unseated “Avatar” in Australia with $6.5 million at 373, as well as in the U.K., where it grossed $5.8 million at 503.

Domestically, most of the frame’s top performers saw robust upticks or held steady over the long weekend.

“Valentine’s Day” jumped 26% on Saturday with $18.3 million over Friday’s $14.6 million take, while “Percy” saw a 17% uptick on Saturday with $11.4 million. “Wolfman” held steady.

On Sunday, “Valentine’s Day” was up 28%, earning a stellar $23.5 million to become the biggest Valentine’s Day grosser ever. The pic beat the holiday’s previous record holder, Sony’s “50 First Dates,” which earned $19.8 million in 2004.

“Valentine’s Day,” produced by New Line, packed theaters that day in key markets, including L.A. and San Francisco, where B.O. increased 56% and 62%, respectively.

“Love is in the air on the West Coast,” said Warner Bros. prexy of domestic distribution Dan Fellman. “Everything was so big with quite a spread across the board.”

Pic now reps Warner’s biggest four-day opener, overtaking the previous record holder, last year’s “Terminator Salvation,” with $52 million.

Fellman credited New Line as a “fabulous asset for Warner” and championed director Gary Marshall, saying, “You’ve got to pat Gary on the back. From ‘Pretty Woman’ to this, he really knows what he’s doing out there.”

“Valentine’s” benefited from a fortuitous marriage of marketing campaigns and strategic frame placement, as well as the on-the-nose film title.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Tuesday.

1. “Valentine’s Day,” $52.4 million.

2. “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” $31.1 million.

3. “The Wolfman,” $30.6 million.

4. “Avatar,” $22 million.

5. “Dear John,” $15.3 million.

6. “The Tooth Fairy,” $5.6 million.

7. “From Paris With Love,” $4.7 million.

8. “Edge of Darkness,” $4.6 million.

9. “Crazy Heart,” $4 million.

10. “When in Rome,” $3.4 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

Sony scored a touchdown pass this Super Bowl weekend with ‘Dear John’ nabbing the top spot from ‘Avatar.’

Sony/Screen Gems scored a touchdown pass this Super Bowl weekend at the domestic B.O. as Nicholas Sparks’ lit adaptation “Dear John” opened to an estimated $32.4 million, tackling 20th Century Fox’s holdover phenom “Avatar,” which landed in the No. 2 spot with $23.6 million in its eighth frame.
The weekend’s other wide opener, Lionsgate’s John Travolta starrer “From Paris With Love,” saw a disappointing launch with $8.1 million at 2,722 playdates. Pic was expected to see a steep drop Sunday as its core male aud stayed home for the game.

Studios predicted a 50%-60% decline across the board between the Super Bowl and the storm dubbed Snowpocalypse on the East Coast.

Fox Searchlight’s “Crazy Heart” saw the biggest post-Oscar nominations boost, earning $3.6 million after jumping from 239 screens to 819 in its eighth frame for a cume of $11.2 million. Pic scored mentions for stars Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal, as well as for songsters T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham in the original song category.

Overseas, James Cameron’s “Avatar” stayed on top, slipping 20% for an estimated weekend gross of $76 million at 10,523 screens in 120 territories.

Femmes made up a whopping 84% of the aud for “Dear John,” directed by Lasse Hallstrom and produced and financed by Relativity Media. Aud for the pic starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried was 64% under 21. “Dear John” scored the frame’s top per-screen average with $10,913 at 2,969 locations, hitting notable highs on Friday and Saturday with $13.8 million and $12.4 million, respectively. Pic was expected to fall 50% on Sunday for an estimated $6.2 million.

Total should give the film just enough yardage to become the highest-grossing film ever opening over the pigskin frame. Previous record holder was Disney’s “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour,” bowing to $31.1 million on Feb. 1, 2008.

Geoffrey Ammer, prexy of worldwide marketing for Relativity Media, said execs expected a drop from Friday to Saturday, “but to only drop 10% is attributed to the picture and its playability; there’s something in this movie for everybody.”

The most recent adaptations of Sparks’ novels, Warner Bros.’ “Nights in Rodanthe” (2008) and New Line’s “The Notebook” (2004), opened at $13.4 million and $13.5 million, respectively, less than “John’s” Friday take alone.

“John” also became Screen Gems’ highest opener, topping “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” with $30 million in 2005.

Blizzard conditions on the East Coast put a damper on Lionsgate’s “From Paris With Love,” with some 200 theaters failing to report grosses because of the storm.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Dear John,” $32.4 million.

2. “Avatar,” $23.6 million.

3. “From Paris With Love,” $8.1 million.

4. “Edge of Darkness,” $7 million.

5. “The Tooth Fairy,” $6.5 million.

6. “When in Rome,” $5.5 million.

7. “The Book of Eli,” $4.8 million.

8. “Crazy Heart,” $3.7 million.

9. “Legion,” $3.4 million.

10. “Sherlock Holmes,” $2.6 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

‘Avatar’ nears box office record

Entering its seventh frame at the domestic box office, 20th Century Fox’s “Avatar” again proved its staying power, taking in an estimated $30 million. James Cameron’s pic easily surpassed the No. 2 film, Warner Bros.’ Mel Gibson starrer “Edge of Darkness,” which opened with $17.1 million.

“Avatar’s” domestic intake has reached $594.5 million, combined with $1.45 billion internationally, for a worldwide cume that has passed the $2 billion mark.

Last weekend, the film passed “Titanic” in foreign revenues. “Avatar” became the all-time highest grosser worldwide as of Jan. 25, leaving only the domestic figure to beat. Cameron’s 3D phenom still remains just a few strokes behind the $600.8 million domestic benchmark set by “Titanic” in 1998, but given last week’s daily average of $3.18 million, Fox said the pic should beat “Titanic” some time midweek.

Disney saw a solid opening for its first release of the year, romantic comedy “When in Rome,” which took an estimated $12 million at 2,456 locations for a per-screen average of $4,912. Launch saw a 20% uptick from Friday to Saturday with an aud heavily populated by couples, totaling 61%, with only a slight variation among different age groups; auds 18-25 ranked highest with 24%.

CBS Films’ “Extraordinary Measures” failed to gain traction after a disappointing bow last weekend. Pic earned a meager $2.6 million at 2,549 screens in its soph sesh, dropping 57% from a $6 million launch.

“The Lovely Bones” continues to perform solidly for Paramount after opening in a lukewarm limited release, grossing an estimated $4.7 million at 2,638 locations behind Sony’s “Legion,” which earned $6.8 million at 2,476. “Legion,” starring Paul Bettnay, fell 61% in its soph sesh after launching in the No. 2 spot last weekend with $17.5 million.

Both Fox and Warner were repped with three films in the top 10, including “Avatar” and “Darkness,” respectively.

In its soph sesh, Fox’s Dwayne Johnson starrer “Tooth Fairy” dropped 29%, earning $10 million at 3,345 to claim the No. 4 spot, followed by Warner’s “Book of Eli” with $8.8 million from 3,075 in its third frame.

“Sherlock Holmes,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” and “It’s Complicated” rounded out the top 10. Holdover “Holmes” performed well for Warner with an estimated weekend gross of $4.5 million and a cume just shy of the $200 million mark, while Fox’s “Squeakquel” earned $4 million for an overall $209.3 million.

“Darkness,” about a Boston police officer who discovers a corporate cover-up after investigating the death of his daughter, drew a surprising 47% female viewership. The R-rated Mel Gibson starrer scored a B+ CinemaScore rating in exit polls.

1. “Avatar,” $30 million.

2. “Edge of Darkness,” $17.1 million.

3. “When in Rome,” $12.1 million.

4. “The Tooth Fairy,” $10 million.

5. “The Book of Eli,” $8.8 million.

6. “Legion,” $6.8 million.

7. “The Lovely Bones,” $4.7 million.

8. “Sherlock Holmes,” $4.5 million.

9. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” $4 million.

10. “It’s Complicated,” $3.7 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

Fox claims three of the frame’s top 10 slots

Topping the frame with an estimated weekend gross of $36 million for a cume of $552.8 million, 20th Century Fox and James Cameron’s “Avatar” has jumped past Warner Bros.’ “The Dark Knight” with $533.3 million to become the second highest grossing film ever at the domestic box office.

Still behind “Titanic” in U.S. totals, “Avatar” made history overseas.

Pic earned $107 million from 11,803 screens in 111 markets at the foreign B.O., just enough to sink the ship, making “Avatar” the all-time champ in international receipts with $1.28 billion. Cameron’s “Titanic” previously held the overseas record with $1.24 billion.

“Having been a part of the ‘Titanic’ phenomenon, we never thought this day would come in our careers,” said Fox Intl. co-prexys Paul Hanneman and Tomas Jegeus. “But
James Cameron created in ‘Avatar’ a film with such humanity and magic that it resonates with people of every culture.”
“Avatar’s” worldwide cume stands at $1.84 billion.

Domestically, the film slipped a mere 16% in its sixth frame with $9.1 million on Friday, $16.5 million on Saturday — down just 5% from the same day last weekend — and an estimated $10.4 million on Sunday.

Cameron’s 3D pic grossed $6.6 million from IMAX screens, representing approximately 19% of the film’s overall domestic take.

“It’s one thing to have this technological marvel, but beyond that, I think it connects with people on so many different levels,” said Fox senior VP of domestic distribution Chris Aronson. Along with “Avatar,” Fox managed to claim three of the frame’s top 10 slots with Dwayne Johnson starrer “Tooth Fairy” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.”

Overall, domestic B.O. receipts saw a 6% uptick compared to the same weekend last year.

Sony’s post-apocalyptic “Legion” launched at No. 2 with $18.2 million from 2,476 locations for a per screen average of $7,351. Warner Bros.’ holdover “Book of Eli,” financed and produced by Alcon Entertainment, dropped 48% in its soph sesh with $17 million from 3,111 locations, pushing the pic’s cume to $62 million.
Family pic “Tooth Fairy,” co-produced by Walden Media, earned $14.5 million from 3,344 locations, while holdover “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” brought in $6.5 million from 2,973 in its fifth frame for $204.2 million overall.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Avatar,” $36 million.

2. “Legion,” $18.2 million.

2. “The Book of Eli,” $17 million.

3. “Tooth Fairy,” $14.5 million.

5. “The Lovely Bones,” $8.8 million.

6. “Sherlock Holmes,” $7.1 million.

7. “Extraordinary Measures,” $7 million.

8. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” $6.5 million.

9. “It’s Complicated,” $6.2 million.

10. “The Spy Next Door,” $4.8 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]

‘Avatar’ nears $500 million mark

Twentieth Century Fox’s “Avatar” remained king of the box office, but Warner Bros.’ “The Book of Eli” and Paramount’s “The Lovely Bones” also did strong business as they debuted nationwide over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

Nothing can seem to slow James Cameron’s “Avatar,” which posted a worldwide cume of $1.6 billion through Sunday, meaning that in the next two weeks it will surpass Cameron’s “Titanic” to become the highest grossing film of all time. “Titanic” cumed $1.8 billion.

Domestically, “Avatar” declined a slim 18% to an estimated $41.3 million for a cume of $491.8 million in its fifth fame. Holiday biz should help the pic jump the $500 million mark today. Overseas, “Avatar” also dipped just 18% to an estimated $125 million for the sesh, putting the foreign total at $1.11 billion.

Denzel Washington topliner “Book of Eli,” financed and produced by Alcon Entertainment and distributted by Warners, opened to an estimated $31.6 million from 3,111 theaters to place No. 2. It’s the second straight victory for Alcon after “The Blind Side,” which remains on the top 10 chart after nine weeks.

Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones” was the surprise victory of the weekend, grossing an estimated $17.1 million from 2,563 runs through Sunday (Par says that number will grow to $20 million through Monday). Film suffered in its initial limited run, but Par was able to successfully retool its marketing campaign and target young femmes for the nationwide expansion.

Opening below expectations was Lionsgate’s family pic “The Spy Next Door,” which grossed an estimated $9.7 million from 2,924 to place No. 6. The Jackie Chan-George Lopez-Billy Ray Cyrus headliner was financed and produced by Relativity Media.

“Spy Next Door” was unable to take on Fox holdover “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” which declined 31% to an estimated $11.5 million for a cume of $192.6 million in its fourth frame. Overseas, “Squeakquel” grossed $14.3 million for a cume of $158.5 million and worldwide total of $351.1 million, less than $10 million shy of the
$360.6 million cumed worldwide by the original “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

At the specialty B.O., highlights included the Metropolitan Opera’s live, hi-def broadcast of Bizet’s “Carmen,” which grossed $2.94 million from 700 theaters, the best number ever for the Met’s program. Overseas, 100,000 tickets were sold in 27 countries, also a record.

Scoring the best location average of the weekend was Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Last Station,” which debuted to an estimated $81,704 from three theaters for a $27,235 per location.

“Avatar” will reach the $500 million in 32 days, faster than either “Titanic” or “The Dark Knight,” the only films that have jumped $500 million. “Dark Knight” reached it in 45 days; “Titanic,” in 98.

“Titanic was built for comfort, Avatar was built for speed,” Fox senior VP of domestic distribution Chris Aronson said. Overseas, “Avatar” debuted in Italy, its last territory opening. Film grossed $14.5 million, the industry’s top opening of all time. It also is doing record business in Japan and China.

Fox execs say “Avatar” will surpass the $1.2 billion earned by “Titanic” sometime this week.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Tuesday.

1. “Avatar,” $41.3 million.

2. “The Book of Eli,” $31.6 million.

3. “The Lovely Bones,” $17.1 million.

4. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” $11.5 million.

5. “Sherlock Holmes,” $9.8 million.

6. “The Spy Next Door,” $9.7 million.

7. “It’s Complicated,” $7.7 million.

8. “Leap Year,” $5.8 million.

9. “The Blind Side,” $5.6 million.

10. “Up in the Air,” $5.5 million.

[Credit: Variety / Hollywood.com]