Cameron's Avatar collects record $77.35 million

James Cameron's "Avatar" has jumped out to a faster start than projected.

Distributor 20th Century Fox says Cameron's sci-fi saga did far more business Sunday than the studio had estimated, raising the film's domestic weekend total to $77.35 million. That's $4.35 million more than the studio first forecast.

That also should give a bump to the movie's worldwide total, which has topped $230 million.

Fox still is counting final numbers, but if the figure holds, "Avatar" will go in the record book for biggest December opening ever, a fraction ahead of the $77.2 million for Will Smith's "I Am Legend" two years ago.

But factoring in higher ticket prices today, "I Am Legend" sold more tickets than "Avatar" over opening weekend.