While Cameron has been a producer for nearly 50 different films, and written or contributed to the writing for more than 50, he has only directed eleven feature films, with two of these тιтles being documentaries. He also puts a lot of time and energy into his films, with some projects like Avatar and the sequels taking literal decades to create. And with three of the top four highest box office movies of all time being a product of his direction, it’s worth studying his work and the process that led to this remarkable streak.
Piranha II: The Spawning (N/A)
Budget: Unknown
For Cameron, the opportunity to direct Piranha II came thanks to the disorganization and discord behind the scenes, as the film actually hired and fired two other directors along the way. Initially, Cameron was set to lead the special effects for the film and was thrust into the role after the writing was finished, and some time before principal pH๏τography. Perhaps fortunately, it appears that almost no one watched the film, which probably helped Cameron avoid a negative reputation as a director.
Aliens of the Deep ($12,765,684)
Budget: Unknown
After his monumental success with тιтanic, Cameron shifted his focus away from producing major motion pictures. Instead, Cameron worked on some projects for TV, which included documentary-style TV movies. He also developed a fascination with the sea that likely stemmed from his numerous trips to the ocean floor in order to visit the decaying тιтanic. In collaboration with NASA scientists, Cameron created a documentary called Aliens of the Deep, which focused on the Mid-Ocean Ridge, and the incredible deep sea creatures that live in this mysterious and vast region.
Ghosts of the Abyss ($28,742,313)
Budget: Unknown
Before Cameron moved on to exploring the Mid-Ocean Ridge, he spent a long time after the release of тιтanic repeatedly returning to the site. This led to Cameron creating the 2003 documentary, Ghosts of the Abyss. As the person who has visited that site more than anyone else in the world, having wracked up a total of 33 visits to the site and likely spending more time on board than the actual captain of the ship (via Business Insider), Cameron was uniquely qualified to deliver a documentary on the haunting reality that now sits at the bottom of the ocean.
Using the extensive footage he acquired on his trips, and working alongside actor Bill Paxton, who appeared in the 1997 film, Ghosts of the Abyss tells the story of this haunting incident in incredible detail. It’s haunting, and incredibly insightful, and it managed to earn more than double the total box office of his subsequent documentary, but Ghosts of the Abyss remains one of Cameron’s lowest earning films of all time.
The Abyss ($54,793,434)
Budget: $70,000,000
However, despite the breakthrough innovations, and the compelling narrative of a deep sea diving team traveling to the depths of the ocean and encountering mysterious life forms, the film was a financial flop. With a sizable $70 million budget, The Abyss ended up losing money at the box office. However, in the years since it’s release, it’s developed a cult following, particularly among fans of Cameron’s other works.
The Terminator ($78,019,031)
Budget: $6,400,000
Cameron also came up with the idea for The Terminator, which he initially wrote as a slasher horror film. However, with revision, and help from other writers, the script developed into a sci-fi film which was much more similar to the end product. This is the first film where Cameron’s unique tone of voice and style is seen clearly with the director having touched each part of the process, and making it uniquely his. And the result managed to rack up more than 10 times the total amount of the budget, making it a huge success for the small production and distribution companies that released the film.
Aliens ($183,291,893)
Budget: $17,000,000
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Then, with The Terminator’s success positioning Cameron as a competent sci-fi director for dark and edgy projects, he was entrusted to direct the sequel to the popular Ridley Scott sci-fi horror, Alien. Cameron had been working on the script while making The Terminator, but he also wanted to direct, and it wasn’t until the success of The Terminator that Cameron secured the role. With that, the much larger Fox studio took a gamble on the up-and-coming director, and it paid off in a big way.
Despite a тιԍнт budget of just $17 million, which was the most the director ever had to work with at that point in his career, the film managed to eclipse this figure and exceed the original movie’s box office by a considerable margin. This confirmed that Cameron’s success was not a fluke, and helped him to land further big budget projects in the years to come. However, it would be several years until his next big hit movie.
True Lies ($365,300,000)
Budget: $100,000,000
True Lies marked another major turning point in Cameron’s career, as he reunited with Arnold Schwarzenegger to direct this high-octane action flick, and Cameron landed the first $100 million dollar budget to produce a film. This time, Cameron broke the mold and opted to create a highbrow comedy action film which was a tonal shift from his other work in sci-fi. However, with big name talent like Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, a fun romp in an era where these types of movie were thriving, and the biggest film budget to date, Cameron created another smashing success.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($515,344,899)
Budget: $94,000,000
However, it also marked the moment that Cameron became a much larger global sensation, with the majority of the films’ earnings coming from internation markets. This would again become a trend in later films, as Cameron’s work became more ambitious, and he again pioneered new technologies in the world of cinema. But in 1991, this was a huge step-up for Cameron, and allowed the director to be a lot more careful, methodical, and selective with the projects he chose to work on.
тιтanic ($2,223,048,786)
Budget: $200,000,000
In 1997, just three years after the release of True Lies, Cameron managed to break another budget record in Hollywood, securing a budget of $200 million for тιтanic. This figure went towards the director coordinating numerous expeditions to the wreckage site, building a large scale replica of a portion of the ship, and securing some top talent to bring the movie to life. And while this was evidently a gamble from the studios, Cameron once again proved he was worth the risk when the movie became the highest grossing movie of all time.
Avatar: The Way of Water ($2,315,589,775)
Budget: $460,000,000
Regardless, Cameron once again worked his magic to deliver a film that appealed to the mᴀsses, and attracted huge audiences around the world, with a particularly large fanbase for the films coming out of China. Avatar: The Way of Water is just the next step in Cameron’s epic saga, which has plans for five movies total from Cameron himself, and the potential for an Avatar 6 and 7 depending on the ongoing success of the franchise. However, it does appear that the movies are on a downward trend, and may not be able to sustain such monumental budgets in the future.
Avatar ($2,923,706,026)
Budget: $237,000,000
