(5:00PM EDT) Taking in $3,183,166 on Thursday, its 30th day of release, Star Wars Episode I has climbed to a lofty $309,213,848 at the domestic box office. Off a slim 17% from last Thursday, Episode I has surpassed Independence Day's $306.2M and Return of the Jedi's $309.1M lifetime gross to become the seventh highest-grossing movie ever. Jedi, of course, enjoyed ticket sales during a time when ticket prices were much lower plus includes grosses from a 1997 rerelease. Look for the new prequel to roar past The Lion King's 1994 tally of $312.9M today. Episode I may even pass Forrest Gump's $329.5M over the weekend to steal the number five position on the all-time blockbuster list.