Batman sequel “The Dark Knight” kept up its record-breaking pace this weekend, pushing its total receipts since opening to a stunning 313.8 million dollars, box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said.

Director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to 2005’s “Batman Begins,” with Christian Bale in the lead and the late Heath Ledger as the villainous Joker, topped the previous second-weekend record of “Shrek 2″, with 75.2 million in ticket sales over the Friday-Sunday period, final figures showed.

That followed its record for a debut weekend, when it overtook previous mark-holder “Spider-Man 3″ with an unprecedented 158.4 million dollars in seats sold.

The film is helped by the buzz over Ledger’s performance, who died of an accidental drug overdose in New York in January, with many industry experts speculating that he may win a rare posthumous Oscar for the role.

Far back in second place was “Step Brothers,” a Will Farrell-starring comedy of two middle-aged men still living at home when their respective widowed parents meet and get married.

On its opening weekend “Step Brothers,” directed by Adam McKay, sold 30.1 million dollars in tickets, Exhibitor Relations said.

Third was the ABBA musical “Mamma Mia” with a take of 17.8 million in its second weekend, followed in fourth by “The X-Files: I Want to Believe,” which took in 10.2 million on its opening weekend.

In fifth place was “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D,” which earned 9.7 million in its third week.

Rounding out the top 10 in the final figures for the weekend were the Will Smith action flick “Hancock,” earning 8.3 million to take its four-week total to 206.5 million; the acclaimed animation “Wall-E,” 6.4 million for a five week take of 195.3 million; “Hellboy II” (5.1 million); “Space Chimps” (4.5 million); and “Wanted” (2.7 million).

With “The Dark Knight’s” smashing run, Exhibitor Relations said that movie theater ticket sales so far this year hit 5.84 billion dollars, barely behind last year’s figure for the same period of 5.85 billion dollars.

After playing a pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean series, versatile Hollywood actor Johnny Depp is set to play the Mad Hatter in the film version of Alice in Wonderland.

Thesun.co.uk reports the movie will be shot in 3D and Depp teams up with his friend and collaborator, director Tim Burton. The two have worked together on six movies.

A source said: “Burton has had designs on Alice In Wonderland since before he was famous. He has a knack for turning what seem like stories for just kids into gripping, spooky fables loved just as much by adults. He’s held out on doing Alice till he got a big enough budget. Now this film is financed by Disney so money won’t be a problem.”

Unknown actress Mia Wasikowska will play Alice. Production will start next year and the release is planned for the summer of 2010.

Indiana Jones” star Shia LaBeouf was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after an auto accident in which he was injured early Sunday, a police official said on Sunday.

LaBeouf was driving a vehicle that collided with another vehicle at 3 a.m. in Hollywood, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Wolf said.

“He subsequently injured his head, knee and hand and was hospitalized,” Wolf said.

Wolf said LaBeouf was booked for misdemeanor DUI (driving under the influence) and then released.

LaBeouf’s passenger and the driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries, Wolf said, adding that he did not know their identities.

The accident occurred when LaBeouf made a left turn in front of the other vehicle, causing a collision in which his car rolled over, Wolf said.

LaBeouf, a protege of director Steven Spielberg, starred in this summer’s box office hit “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

He was arrested last November in a Chicago Walgreen Co. store after he refused several requests by a security guard to leave. The trespassing charge was later dropped after the drugstore asked that the case be dismissed.

LaBeouf’s publicists were not immediately available for comment.

In a city smothered in crime and injustice, there can only be one hero to protect Gotham from itself.

Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham’s white knight. He is strong and fair - the best defense attorney Gotham has ever had. He also happens to be dating the lovely Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, replacing Katie Holmes) who is billionaire Bruce Wayne’s ex-girlfriend.

No doubt, Wayne (Christian Bale) is jealous, but he has no time for petty emotions in his line of work. Since becoming Batman, he’s been busy fighting crime and corruption in Gotham.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Dent, there is a terrible villain lurking the dark streets of Gotham. The mob and the crime lords think him to be a joke. But that’s just it - he’s not a joke, he’s the joke.

Joker (Heath Ledger) is his name and making mayhem is his game. Joker makes bizarre jokes, kills, steals and blows things up. He does this not because he’s crazy but because he wants nothing but pure chaos.

As Batman and Joker face off, it’s the ultimate battle between good and evil. The question is: who will win?

And what of Harvey Dent? Will he become a villain like those he sought to put in jail?

“The Dark Knight” is by far the best DC Comics movie ever made. It is much better than “Batman Begins,” although that was good, too. “The Dark Knight” has everything a comic book movie needs: action, danger, comedy and romance.

Watch Batman Joker The Dark Knight Click Here