Avatar's Big Holiday Haul

James Cameron’s much-anticipated new film Avatar exceeded expectations and broke records at the box office this weekend, taking in an estimated $73 million. With a budget of $300 million, the science-fiction film is one of the most expensive ever made, and had the second-largest December weekend ever, falling behind I Am Legend, which earned $77 million in 2007. Disney’s latest, The Princess and the Frog, came in second place with $12.2 million just ahead of The Blind Side, still drawing crowds after leading lady Sandra Bullock scored a Golden Globe nomination. Did You Hear About the Morgans?, starring romantic-comedy staples Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant, had a disappointing debut, bringing in only $7 million despite its big-name stars.