Movie News & Gossip

LOS ANGELES - James Cameron's "Avatar" has jumped out to a faster start than projected.

Distributor 20th Century Fox says Cameron's sci-fi saga did far more business Sunday than the studio had estimated, raising the film's domestic weekend total to $77.35 million. That's $4.35 million more than the studio first forecast.

LOS ANGELES - James Cameron launched his science-fiction epic "Avatar" into a safe orbit as the costly film soared to No. 1 with $73 million domestically and $159.2 million overseas, for a $232.2 million worldwide total.

With that big a start, distributor 20th Century Fox was quick to proclaim it made a good investment with the estimated $400 million spent to make and market the film, which is Cameron's first narrative feature since 1997's "Titanic," the king of modern blockbusters.

LOS ANGELES - Audiences are trekking to see James Cameron's science-fiction saga "Avatar," which has opened as the weekend's No. 1 film with $73 million domestically.

It's a strong start for a film opening in December, though it fell short of the $77.2 million record debut for the month set two years ago by Will Smith's "I Am Legend.

LOS ANGELES - James Cameron's space fantasy "Avatar" has launched with a solid $27 million opening day at the box office.

Storms in the East likely will hurt the movie's prospects to approach the December opening weekend record of $77.2 million set by Will Smith's "I Am Legend."

GLENDALE, Calif. - Before last month's White House party-crashing, there was Jenifer Lewis __ paving the way toward the Obamas.

As Lewis tells it, she didn't exactly crash January's presidential inauguration. But the singer and veteran character actress got a lot closer to the new president than his staff and security likely had planned.