'Avatar' passes $300 million mark on Friday, and Sandra Bullock makes box-office history

It took director James Cameron’s Titanic 44 days to reach the $300 million mark. Twelve years later, Cameron’s Avatar has reached that same milestone nearly three times faster, in just its 15th day of release. The 3-D epic grossed an estimated $25 million on New Years Day, pushing the film’s domestic total to $308.8 million. If that pace holds, expect the film to shatter Spider-Man’s $45 million record for the biggest ever third weekend in theaters.

With no major releases this weekend, the rest of the box office is shaping up pretty much like last weekend. Sherlock Holmes landed in the second spot, with an estimated $14.9 million; Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel took third with $13 million; and It’s Complicated made $7.1 million for fourth.

Finally, Sandra Bullock rang in the new year by also making box-office history. With The Blind Side grossing $4.5 million on Friday for fifth place, Bullock is now the only actress ever to have a film marketed with her name solely above the title (i.e. based on her star power alone, and not a franchise or tent-poll picture) pass the $200 million mark in domestic gross.