Iron Man 3 has become the 5th top grossing film of all time, Digital Spy said.

The Marvel Studios sequel has earned $1.142 billion (£754 million) globally.

It now ranks ahead of Transformers: Dark of the Moon and behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in the global chart.

The top positions are occupied by The Avengers in third, Titanic in second and Avatar in first.

The Robert Downey Jr-starring Iron Man 3 is Disney's second highest grossing film behind The Avengers.

The future of the franchise remains uncertain following the fulfillment of Downey's contract with Marvel/Disney.