Avatar held onto the number one position at the box office - both in North America and worldwide - in its second week of release. This is even more impressive considering the film that came second in North America - Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes – had the kind of box office that would usually guarantee a number one debut.
Avatar took another estimated $75 million in North America. That's down around 3% from its opening weekend, whereas big blockbusters routinely drop up to 50% on second weekends. This was a new Christmas weekend record, beating Meet The Fokkers' $46.1 million in 2005. It was also the second most lucrative second-week total ever after The Dark Knight. Worldwide Cameron's blue movie took another $145 million, taking it's worldwide total (including North America) to $617.3 million in ten days - an impressive feat which means it has now definitely made a profit.
Sherlock Holmes has to settle for second place in the North American box office with a still healthy £65.4 million, making it the second biggest opening ever for a film that didn't make number one (after The Day After Tomorrow failed to dislodge Shrek 2 from pole position).
