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weekends at #1 in 1997–'98. On February 27, after 72 days of domestic release it became the first film to gross over $700 million. Avatar is just the second film to earn over $1 billion in foreign box office revenue alone, and spent 11 consecutive weekends at the top of the box office outside the United States and Canada.

Avatar has grossed over $749 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $1.981 billion in other territories for a worldwide total of over $2.730 billion, with over 72.5% of its total worldwide gross in international markets. Avatar has set a number of box office records during its release; on January 25, 2010, it surpassed Titanic's worldwide gross to become the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide 41 days after its international release, just two days after taking the foreign box office record, and on February 2, 47 days after its domestic release, Avatar overtook Titanic to become the highest-grossing film of all time in Canada and the United States. It is also the highest-grossing film of all time in at least 30 other countries. IMAX ticket sales account for $228 million of its worldwide gross, more than double the previous record.

Box Office Mojo estimates that after adjusting for the rise in average ticket prices, Avatar would be the 14th-highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S. and Canada. However, Box Office Mojo also observes that the higher ticket prices for 3D and IMAX screenings have had a significant impact on Avatar's gross; it estimated, on April 21, 2010,

that Avatar had sold approximately 75 million tickets in North American theatres, more than any other film since 1999's Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In terms of worldwide revenue, Avatar has grossed more than Titanic after adjusting for inflation.

Before its release, various film critics and fan communities predicted the film would be a significant disappointment at the box office, as had been thought of Cameron's previous blockbuster Titanic. This criticism ranged from Avatar's film budget, to its concept and use of 3D "blue cat people". Slate magazine's Daniel Engber complimented the 3D effects, but criticized them for reminding him of certain CGI characters from the Star Wars prequel films and for having the "uncanny valley" effect.

Box office analysts, on the other hand, estimated that the film would be a