Director James Cameron's sci-fi epic has become the third highest earning films of all time by raking in USD 1.1 billion at the global box office. The blockbuster has piped Johnny Depp starrer Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which earned USD 1.07 in 2006 to get the third spot. The second top grosser is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003, which earned USD 1.12 billion at the box office.

Avatar's earnings sit at USD 1.1 billion till Tuesday, including USD 367 million in domestic and USD 731.2 million at the foreign box office, Variety reported online.

Interestingly, the film, made on a budget of USD 300 million is unlikely to break the record of Cameron's 1997 disaster romance Titanic, which continues to rule the top spot by earning USD 1.84 billion.