To say that celebrated Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron has delivered critically acclaimed, massive hits would be an understatement. Three of his films, Avatar, its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, and Titanic, rank among the top five highest-grossing movies of all time, each earning rave reviews from both critics and audiences.
Now, all eyes are on Avatar: Fire and Ash and whether it can outgross them all to become the No.1 global earner of all time. As a director, Cameron’s films have collectively amassed a staggering $8.7 billion worldwide. But when it comes to earnings-to-budget performance, which of his films actually holds the edge – Avatar, Titanic, Aliens, The Terminator, or another surprise contender? Read on to find out.
James Cameron-Directed Films – Earnings & Budget
According to data from The Numbers, here’s a breakdown of how each feature film directed by James Cameron, from the 1984 sci-fi action classic The Terminator to the epic sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, performed at the worldwide box office, along with their respective production budgets.
- The Terminator (1984): Worldwide Earnings: $78 million | Production Budget: $6.4 million
- Aliens (1986): Worldwide Earnings: $183.3 million | Production Budget: $17 million
- The Abyss (1989): Worldwide Earnings: $54.8 million | Production Budget: $70 million
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991): Worldwide Earnings: $515.3 million | Production Budget: $100 million
- True Lies (1994): Worldwide Earnings: $365.3 million | Production Budget: $100 million
- Titanic (1997): Worldwide Earnings: $2.22 billion | Production Budget: $200 million
- Avatar (2009): Worldwide Earnings: $2.92 billion | Production Budget: $237 million
- Avatar: The Way of Water (2022): Worldwide Earnings: $2.32 billion | Production Budget: $400 million
Earnings-to-Budget Performance
Based on the worldwide earnings and production budget figures listed above, here’s how James Cameron’s films rank in terms of their earnings-to-budget performance:
- Avatar (2009): 12.3x
- The Terminator (1984): 12.2x
- Titanic (1997): 11.1x
- Aliens (1986): 10.8x
- Avatar: The Way of Water (2022): 5.8x
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991): 5.2x
- True Lies (1994): 3.7x
- The Abyss (1989): 0.8x
As the numbers show, among the feature films directed by James Cameron, Avatar leads the pack with an impressive 12.3x return relative to its production budget, followed closely by The Terminator (12.2x) and Titanic (11.1x).
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates!
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