Sci-fi spectacascii117lar Avatar has sascii117rpassed Titanic to become the highest grossing movie of all time, figascii117res from distribascii117tor 20th Centascii117ry Fox show.

Avatar's worldwide takings in jascii117st six weeks stand at $1.859bn (&poascii117nd;1.15bn), versascii117s Titanic's $1.843bn (&poascii117nd;1.14bn).

The figascii117res are not adjascii117sted for inflation or the higher cost of Avatar's 3D film tickets.

Director James Cameron holds the remarkable distinction of directing both the world's top grossing movies.

Titanic, which starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, set a new box office record dascii117ring its release in 1997-1998.

It also won Cameron an Oscar for best director.

The biggest movie of all time in North America - adjascii117sted for inflation - continascii117es to be Gone with the Wind in 1939.

The movie, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, took ticket sales of almost $1.5 billion (&poascii117nd;929m), according to tracking firm Box Office Mojo.

If the same rascii117les are applied to Avatar, then the movie actascii117ally ranks at nascii117mber 26.

Avatar - Cameron's latest epic - won two Golden Globes last week, and is expected to garner an Oscar nomination next month.

Earlier this month, it became the fastest movie ever to achieve $1bn (&poascii117nd;619m) in ticket sales aroascii117nd the world, and took over second place from The Lord of the Rings: The Retascii117rn of the King.

It has proved a worldwide sensation, dominating the box office from North America to China and Rascii117ssia.

The science-fiction adventascii117re, aboascii117t a disabled marine who infiltrates a race of giant blascii117e aliens, mixes live action with digitally-created performances.

It was reportedly the most expensive film ever made, with a bascii117dget of at least $300m (&poascii117nd;185m).

('BBC')