"King" Breaks a Billion
As the Oscar countdown draws to a close, Best Picture frontrunner The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has already proved its mettle.
Rings distributor New Line Cinema has announced that the film has broken the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office--making it only the second film ever to do so.
By last Sunday's end, the film had earned a global total of $1,005,380,412 in ticket sales, according to New Line. More than $381 million of that draw was taken in at U.S. and Canadian box offices.
Aragorn, Legolas, et al. were still pulling their weight over the weekend, holding on to the number 10 slot and raking in $2.85 million in North America Friday through Sunday.
"The holding power and longevity at the box office I think is a real testament to the artistry and vision of Peter Jackson and his cast and crew," said Rolf Mittweg, New Line's president of worldwide marketing and distribution in a statement.
Return of the King currently holds the silver medal in box-office receipts, playing second fiddle to Titanic--the highest grossing film ever with a take of $1.8 billion.
However, it took Titanic 11 weeks to sail to the $1 billion mark, while Frodo and the gang cinched the honor less than 10 weeks after Return of the King's Dec. 17 opening.
Both films had enormous Oscar buzz on their side--a bonus that serves to lessen the moviegoer's trepidation over the effects a three-hour film can have on one's posterior.
Return of the King racked in a hefty 11 Academy Award nominations last month, including those for Best Picture and Best Director for Peter Jackson.
Back in 1998, Titanic scored 14 Oscar nominations, and wound up winning 11 gold statuettes and tying the record for most Oscars won by a single movie, held by Ben-Hur.
This Sunday, Return of the King will have its chance to see if a billion dollars can buy a whole lot of Oscars.
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