To put this in perspective: When James Cameron's “Titanic” became the worldwide box office champion with $1.843 billion in 1997-98, it more than doubled the previous record set by “Jurassic Park” in the summer of 1993: $914 million.

In the 12 years since, and despite rising ticket prices , no film has gotten within 60 percent of “Titanic”'s total. “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” reached $1.1 billion in 2003-04, the second (and awful) “Pirates” movie reached $1.06 billion in the summer of 2006, while “The Dark Knight” grossed almost exactly $1 billion two summers ago. Those are the only other movies that even reached the $1 billion mark. Basically halfway there. 

Until now. This week, “Avatar,” Cameron's first movie since “Titanic,” broke “Titanic”'s worldwide box office mark and currently stands at $1.861. And climbing. Fast.

Cameron's raising the bar when no one could even get close to the bar before. That's almost mean.