AVATAR a Global Blockbuster

Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Joel David Moore in Avatar (Mark Fellman / 20th Century Fox)

At least in part thanks to the blizzard wreaking havoc on the East Coast of the United States, James Cameron's Avatar fell several million dollars short of its expected $85 million weekend gross. Of course, the film's estimated (on Sunday) $73m take is pretty remarkable, but much better (even if not record-breaking) was its box-office take internationally. On its first weekend (in some countries, Avatar opened on Wed or Thu), Avatar earned $232.2 million worldwide.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, markets that brought in more than $10 million over the weekend were Russia ($21 million), France ($19 million), the U.K. ($14.2 million), Germany ($13.2 million), Australia ($11.3 million), Spain ($11 million), and South Korea ($10.8 million).

According to reports, 20th Century Fox has been quick to declare that the zillions (okay, depending on the source, anywhere between $350m and $700m, including distribution and advertising costs) it spent on Cameron's 3D extravaganza was money well spent. But perhaps Fox has been a bit too quick.

The only way to find out for sure if Avatar will earn the studio a profit is if it has some very sturdy legs. A $230m gross, most of it generated in foreign markets, means the studio itself will likely see $90-105m coming to its coffers. The rest goes to exhibitors, local distributors, and other above-the-line companies and talent.

In the United States (and Canada), Avatar failed to match the $77.2 million December debut set two years ago by Will Smith's I Am Legend, but it now holds the record for a film opening in 3-D, having surpassed Up's $68.1 million earlier this year. (Remember, these rankings are not adjusted for inflation, though in the case of Up that wouldn't have made much of a difference.)

An ecologically conscious adventure tale set in the 22nd century, Avatar stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. The supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, CCH Pounder, Laz Alonso, and West Studi. The film — which to a certain extent sounds like War of the Worlds in reverse, with human beings as the nasty aliens — has been generally greeted by positive reviews. (I still haven't watched it.)

Curiously, Avatar hasn't opened in at least six countries: Argentina, Uruguay, Poland, Japan, China, and Italy. The last three are major markets for Hollywood productions.