'Titanic' Steams Toward Stars

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If ``Titanic'' continues on its current course, it will likely top ``Star Wars'' sometime next weekend to become the top box office draw ever. Now in its 12th week, ``Titanic'' has earned a jaw-dropping $449.6 million, and will likely top ``Star Wars''' record $461 million lifetime total sometime next weekend. If ``Titanic'' holds on at No. 1 for seven more days it will tie the record for consecutive weeks in the top spot -- beating ``Tootsie'' and ``Beverly Hills Cop,'' which both topped the box office for 13 straight weeks. But ''Titanic'' may get some competition soon from one of its own stars. The Leonardo DiCaprio starer ``The Man in the Iron Mask'' could be the picture that knocks ``Titanic'' from its heady perch.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), March 09, 1998