Even the box office power of Denzel Washington can't beat the phenomenon of Avatar.
Washington's new movie, the post-apocalyptic religious thriller The Book of Eli, debuted with $31.6 million for second place at US cinemas, while Avatar continued its march in first place with an estimated $41.3 million, according to figures released by Box Office Mojo.
With an additional $125 million coming from international markets the most expensive movie of all time is now just $200 million short of the all-time box office record of $1.8 million held by Titanic.
Third place went to Peter Jackson's thriller, The Lovely Bones with $17.5 million, followed by Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, ($11.5 million) and Sherlock Holmes ($9.8 million).
The other movies in the top 10 were The Spy Next Door, It's Complicated, Leap Year, The Blind Side and Up in the Air.