LOS ANGELES - Hollywood has set a new box-office record as the year's domestic ticket sales head beyond $10 billion for the first time.
Revenues for the year have inched ahead of the previous record of $9.68 billion set in 2007, according to Hollywood.com box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian (dehr-GAIR'-uh-BEE'-dee-uhn).
With three weeks left in the year and huge films still to come, Dergarabedian projects that domestic revenues will climb to $10.6 billion for 2009.
Among the potential blockbusters arriving by Christmas are Robert Downey Jr.'s "Sherlock Holmes," James Cameron's "Avatar" and an "Alvin and the Chipmunks" sequel.
