The much-anticipated James Cameron 3D film “Avatar” ruled the worldwide box office during its first weekend with an estimated $232.2 million from North America (despite an enormous snow storm) and in 106 foreign markets.

According to News Corp’s 20th Century Fox, “Avatar” lands as the ninth-biggest opening of all time. If the number is confirmed when final data are issued on Monday, “Avatar” will set a new opening record for a non-sequel.

The #1 biggest worldwide opening still goes to “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” with $394 million set in July. Although Avatar followed the $275 million opening for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” set last month, the James Cameron film wowed critics around the world. After his successful 1997 blockbuster “Titanic,” James Cameron waited for moviemaking technology to catch up with his vision for “Avatar,” but once it did, production of the movie took only two years.

“Avatar,” which was made with a $300 million budget, is an eco-friendly tale of a disabled ex-Marine sent from Earth to infiltrate an alien race of 10-foot (3 meter)-tall blue people in order to save his polluted planet. The inter-species romance develops between the computerized characters played by actors Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington.