'Avatar' highest-grossing film of all time

James Cameron has beaten his own box office record after ‘Avatar’ was named the highest-grossing film of all time.

The director will have been celebrating this week after film company Twentieth Century Fox confirmed the 3-D movie had earned a staggering $1.859bn (€1.321bn) worldwide cinema sales – passing the $1.843bn (€1.31bn) record which he set in 1997 with his blockbuster ‘Titanic’.

‘Avatar’ – which stars Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington and features brand new motion-capture filming effects – has also been named as the highest-grossing film internationally.

However, ‘Titanic’ – which starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as tragic lovers on board the iconic ship’s ill-fated maiden voyage – remains the highest-earning movie in the US with takings of $600.8m (€427m) since it opened.

But ‘Avatar’ is only just behind with $554.9m (€394.5m) and was the top box office movie for six weeks in a row.

Cameron has been heavily praised for ‘Avatar’ – which he wrote, produced and directed – and the movie has already started winning a number of awards.

Earlier this month, ‘Avatar’ scooped the Best Director, the Best Original Score and the Best Film – Drama gongs at the Golden Globes.