THE AVENGERS CROSSES $600-MILLION MARK

Disney/Marvel’s The Avengers crossed the $600-million mark at the domestic box office on Tuesday, and set its eyes on displacing Titanic as the second-highest-grossing film of all time. (Avatar has a secure hold on first place with $760 million in total ticket sales in North America.) In its initial run in 1997, Titanic earned $600.8 million but increased its tally to $658 million when it was rereleased this year. Adjusted for inflation, however, the Avengers remains far behind Titanic, which, during its 1997 run, did not have the benefit of 3D surcharges as The Avengers currently has. Most analysts suggest that it is unlikely that The Avengers, now with $600,377,080, will be able to haul in an additional $58 million during its current run, but note that it has been dropping more slowly week-to-week than had been anticipated and therefore has an outside chance of doing so.