Sony Pictures’ latest end-of-the-world film, “2012,” earned a total of $225 million worldwide on its opening weekend, making Disney‘s “Christmas Carol” a distant runner-up with $22.3 million.

“Christmas Carol,” which was last weekend’s winner, now has a total of $63.3 million.

“2012,” which is based on the Mayan belief that doomsday will happen on December 21, 2012, took in $65 million in the United States and Canada box office alone.

Sony spent over $200 million to create and market this 162-minute disaster flick.

Sony’s distribution president, Rory Bruer, said that this film by director Roland Emmerich, who also directed the end-of-days epic “The Day After Tomorrow,” is indeed a big success for their studio.

Director Grant Heslov’s comedy “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” which earned $6.2 million, remained at #3, while “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire,” occupied the fourth spot with $6.1 million.

“Michael Jackson‘s This Is It” rounded up the top 5 highest box office earners over the weekend.

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