Fox International executivessaid yesterday (11) the distributor passed $1bn in ticket sales this year,adding that further details would be released later this week.

Sci-fi thriller I, Robot, one of Fox International's key drivers in 2004, added anestimated $2.8m on 761 screens at the weekend for a $182.6m cumulative total.

The picture stayed top in Japan for the fourth consecutiveweekend, reaching $25m with a $2.2m weekend haul on 380 screens.

Elsewhere, the drama Man On Fire hardly set the UK box office alight,opening sixth on $1.2m on 295 screens. It fared better in Spain, opening insecond place on $1.6m on 300. Overall it added $3.5m on 943 internationalscreens for a $22m running total.

Comedies Dodgeball and Garfield grossed $3m on 1,960 for $42.4m and $2.1m on 1,726 for $111mrespectively.

The actionhorror Alien Vs Predator added $1.2m on 570 for $23.8m.