'Avatar' at $1 billion

HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- "Avatar," James Cameron's tale of a fight by indigenous inhabitants against an Earth company's ruthless expansion, topped the $1 billion mark in box office take.

The film, released Dec. 10, is the fifth film to reach the $1 billion level and made the benchmark in the shortest time period. The film has a small edge in amassing large dollar amounts because many theaters are offering it in 3-D, which added about $2 to each ticket.

"Avatar" has shown staying power, leading the U.S. box office list each of the last three weeks. The mixture of computer-generated characters and scenery blends seamlessly into the human actors' performances and creates a visually striking movie, which has received generally positive reviews.

"Avatar" is poised to take over the No. 2 all-time box office spot, supplanting "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." That film took in $1.1 billion. The top spot is held by Cameron's "Titanic," which took in $1.8 billion and 11 Academy Awards.