The Avengers
Despite the success of comic movies such as "The Avengers," comic books themselves may be getting left behind. Walt Disney Co.

The Avengers has redefined the phrase box-office juggernaut, becoming the fastest-selling film of all time by a number of measures.

For example, it topped the $1 billion mark in global sales faster than any other movie, leapfrogging The Dark Knight to become 11th on Box Office Mojo's All Time Worldwide Grosses list only 19 days after its release.

The comic-based film with an ensemble cast took in $103.2 million last weekend. It has already broken first- and second-weekend box-office records, and it is the fastest to reach $100 million, $150 million, $200 million, $250 million, $300 million, and $350 million in domestic box-office sales.

By Tuesday, it should surpass the current top-grossing movie of this year, The Hunger Games, which reached its $386.9 million in domestic box-office sales in just under eight weeks.

The film, assuming it maintains sales at a somewhat modest pace, could leapfrog seven places to land at No. 4 on the all-time list of worldwide sales, and be within striking distance of No. 3, currently occupied by a certain boy wizard who studies at Hogwarts. Above there, only two titles have crossed the $2 billion threshold in total sales -- and both were directed by James Cameron.

Where will The Avengers ultimately land? And, more important, which movies stand in its way? And can someone please help The Avengers finally knock The Phantom Menace off the list? Here are the top 10 movies ranked by worldwide sales:

1. Avatar -- $2.78 billion

2. Titanic -- $2.18 billion

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 -- $1.13 billion

4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon -- $1.12 billion

5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King -- $1.12 billion

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- $1.07 billion

7. Toy Story 3 -- $1.06 billion

8. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides -- $1.04 billion

9. Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace -- $1.03 billion

10. Alice in Wonderland -- $.102 billion

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