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Will Smith is The Domination! Yeah!

Kim Hollis: Will the universally positive Cinemascores and reviews allow Avatar to beat the only December film with a bigger opening weekend in terms of final domestic and worldwide box office? I am Legend is the film with that December opening record, with final box office of $256.4 million domestically and $585.1 million worldwide.

Reagen Sulewski: So far, the biggest December movies have had trouble holding onto the same percentage of their audience as lower grossing films - which is only natural considering that so much of Christmas week box office is based on people waiting for films. Titanic-expectations would be dreaming for Avatar, but I think it's at least got a chance at a Lord of the Rings-type performance as the word spreads that Cameron has more or less delivered on his promises.

Sean Collier: The Oscar nominations have a lot to do with it. I Am Legend didn't have awards buzz to propel it through to March. It's also still possible that people will talk about Avatar until they get sick of hearing about it (see one Precious for an example of this,) but I don't really see that happening. Barring calamity, I think I Am Legend will fall.

Matthew Huntley: Absolutely, especially the latter number. International audiences tend to be very kind to larger-than-life and exotic films of this nature, so I think the worldwide tally will easily top $600 million. Domestically, Avatar is the "it" movie at the moment and it's what people are talking about, so $200 million is practically a no-brainer, but it may be too soon to tell whether the quarter billion mark is in reach. I think the film's second weekend will tell us a lot more.

Shalimar Sahota: Well, Titanic this is not. I don't see this cracking over a billion worldwide. Despite positive reviews, there are some people who I believe will stay away from this, simply because it is too out-there. My parents would struggle with Avatar. Still, I feel that somewhere near $600 million plus worldwide is on the cards here. I just hope it's enough to get Cameron to roll out Battle Angel Alita.





Michael Lynderey: Taking a completely wild guess, I see Avatar ultimately beating I Am Legend, if not going too far beyond it. The film is just too beloved in some circles to have anything but decent legs at the least, and there's really not much of a flood of competition out there catering to the same audience (with the possible, if mild, exception of Sherlock Holmes). I think Avatar's got another $50 million+ weekend in it, and that should be enough to beat the Smith picture.

Tom Macy: I am Legend was greeted with a generally positive response, but Avatar brought the goods. The only argument for Legend winning out would be the hypnotic box office force that is Will Smith, but Cameron's track record shows he's no pushover. Man, what if Will Smith and James Cameron made a movie together? Now that would get people to come out during a snowstorm.

Max Braden: Usually I think "I want to see that" trumps "I should see that," where a Will Smith action piece will sell itself in the trailer while there is more audience uncertain about Avatar until they actually see it and say the reviews were right. But since the reviews and word-of-mouth are so strong with Avatar, I expect it to come out on top. It's also a movie where the story can be understood by visuals alone, so that's not an issue.

Pete Kilmer: I think it has a strong shot at doing it domestically. Worldwide it's sitting at almost $242.5 million, so it's well on its way to beating I Am Legend.

Kim Hollis: I think it beats both domestic and worldwide totals rather handily. People are talking about this movie. It's suddenly become very interesting to a lot of people who didn't know much about it before.

David Mumpower: As of right now, I think it's almost a given that Avatar exceeds $260 million domestically. The question is how far beyond that range it winds up. We'll have a much better feel for this two weeks from today, but my inclination is to expect glowing word-of-mouth to carry this well beyond what I Am Legend managed domestically. Internationally, it will be a blowout. Cameron is THE biggest worldwide box office draw in the history of his profession. Avatar has a real shot at becoming his second billion dollar winner. To put that in perspective, there are only four films that have ever accomplished this feat. Six months from now, he may have done it twice.

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