It has been five weeks since its opening and it's clear now that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" won't dethrone "Avatar" as the highest-grossing movie ever at the worldwide box office.
J.J. Abrams' sci-fi blockbuster had grossed $1.95 billion worldwide by Wednesday, well short of the $2.8 billion that "Avatar" delivered in 2009 and the $2.19 billion of "Titanic" in 1997.
While "The Force Awakens" has shattered records in the U.S. and the U.K. — where it grossed $173 million, topping the $150 million for "Avatar" — it hasn't connected quite as much in other foreign territories.
Roughly 45 percent of the global grosses of "The Force Awakens" have come from abroad, which is low compared to most modern blockbusters, but in line with earlier "Star Wars" movies. By comparison, nearly 73 percent of the worldwide total for "Avatar" in its initial run and re-release came from foreign markets.
In fact, James Cameron's tale of the Navi topped the seventh "Star Wars" movie in most major markets — including Spain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan and South Korea.
So has the overseas box office performance of "The Force Awakens" been affected by the love-hate relationship with America found in many nations?