Alice breaks box office record

MADNESS? Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland has beaten James Cameron's Avatar with the highest-grossing opening for a 3D movie ever.

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Alice in Wonderland took US$210.3 million (NZ$299.8 million) worldwide this weekend, making it the highest-grossing opening ever for a 3D movie.

The Tim Burton film took much more than was initially forecast, including US$116.3 million in America and Canada alone. It beat the amount made by sci-fi epic Avatar, which is currently the highest-earning movie in history.

The adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic novel stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Mia Wasikowska, with 70 percent of the money it made coming from 3D screens.

"After Avatar, people were saying that they're ready for the next 3D world and the first weekend in March was all of a sudden the right place to be to meet that desire," said Disney Studios Chairman Rich Ross.

Midnight showings of the film were staged on Thursday, and garnered US$4 million. The movie took US$41 million in the US and Canada on Friday, with US$44.3 million being taken on Saturday. Friday and Saturday largely saw families attending the film in the afternoon or early evening, with couples going at night.

The movie also recorded impressive box office takings in Italy, Russia, Mexico and Australia, while US$16.8 million came from Britain.