Found! The stunning mountain that inspired Avatar's 'floating peaks'



Its soaring steeple of rock topped by a small oasis of trees looks straight out of the 3D blockbuster Avatar.

But this is no special effects illusion, it's a real-life tower of quartz-sandstone deep in the rugged mountain terrain of southern Hunan in China.

The 3,544ft Southern Sky Column is one of 3,000 in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and became the inspiration for the magical 'floating peaks' in James Cameron's film after a Hollywood photographer spent time shooting there in 2008.



Now where have I seen this before: The mountain previously known as the 'Southern Sky Column' in China, which has now been named the 'Avatar Hallelujah Mountain'



And from the film: The Hollywood rendering of the mountains in James Cameron's blockbuster film 'Avatar'



A national park spokesman said: 'Many pictures become prototypes for various elements in the 'Avatar' movie, including the 'Hallelujah Mountains'.'

Now as film fans flock to see the column, the column has had its named officially changed to 'Avatar Hallelujah Mountain'.

Chinese cinemas last week began taking the 2D version of 'Avatar' off their screens in a controversial move to make way for domestic movies over the upcoming Chinese new year holiday, though the wildly popular 3D version is still available.

'Avatar' has so far made around $80 million in China, and has become the country's most popular film ever. Zhangjiajie hopes to capitalise on that fame.

Tourists can now join a 'Magical tour to Avatar-Pandora' or a 'Miracle tour to Avatar's floating mountain,' the Zhangjiajie branch of China International Travel Service Corp said on its website. (www.citszjj.com)

Otherworldly: More of the strange peaks in the Zhangjiajie national park



'Avatar' has overtaken 'Titanic' as the biggest-grossing movie of all time



'Pandora is far but Zhangjiajie is near,' the municipal government added on its website.



'Welcome to Zhangjiajie to see 'Avatar's Hallelujah Mountains' and discover the real world of Pandora.'

Yesterday ' Avatar' surpassed 'Titanic' to become the highest-grossing movie worldwide, distributor 20th Century Fox said.

The worldwide total for the James Cameron movie stands at £1.15billion after Monday's sales, beating the £1.14 billion haul racked up by 'Titanic' in 1997-1998, said Greg Brilliant, spokesman for the News Corp-owned studio.

'Avatar' broke the seemingly insurmountable record set by 'Titanic' in little over six weeks, handing Cameron the remarkable feat of directing the world's two biggest movies of all time.

It has reigned at the top of North American box office for six weeks. It has also led the field in France, China, Germany and Russia.

The action-adventure movie, starring Sigourney Weaver, is set in 2154 and tells the tale of a disabled ex-Marine sent to Earth to infiltrate a race of 10-foot (3-metre) blue aliens and persuade them to let his employer mine their homeland for natural resources.

Remote: The South Hunan region is home to the 'Avatar' mountains

The film took more than five years to make and was reportedly one of the most expensive films, with a budget of at least $300 million.