Paramount/DreamWorks'science fiction epic War Of The Worlds has swept past $500m at the worldwide box office since it opened fiveweeks ago.

Steven Spielberg's H G Wellsadaptation has grossed more than $315.1m in international and $219.8m indomestic ticket sales as of Aug 2 for a worldwide running total of more than$534.9m.

The picture launched inNorth America on Jun 29 along with several other territories through UIP,grossing an opening day worldwide haul of more than $34m.

Over its first five-dayweekend on more than 8,200 prints in 78 territories through UIP it took morethan $102m, a runaway record for Paramount, UIP, Spielberg and star Tom Cruise.

Since then the picture hasbroken 179 international records, registering all-time opening weekends forSpielberg, Cruise and Paramount in the UK, Italy, Spain, Australia, Mexico,South Korea, and Brazil among others. Australia and Russia produced all-timeindustry opening records.

War Of The Worlds' domestic cumulative total of $219m and countingmeans it has overtaken the $215.4m mark set by 2000's Mission: Impossible 2 to become the biggest North American release of Cruise'scareer.

His biggest internationalhit remains 2003's The Last Samuraion $345.6m, while MI:2 is hisworldwide champion on $545.9m.

Spielberg's biggestinternational and worldwide hit remains 1993's Jurassic Park, which amassed $557.6m and $914.7m respectively.

His number one domestic hitis 1982's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, which grossed more than $359.1m and finished in excess of $435.1mfollowing re-releases in 1985 and 2002.