The 9 Highest-Grossing Films Directed By James Cameron, Ranked

September 2024 · 5 minute read

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Canadian filmmaker James Cameron is best known for his science fiction and epic films and gained recognition for directing The Terminator. He became well-known for his expansive vision with an innovative special-effects work of art. With his skills, the films he directed were met with success at the box office. Though he has a lot of critics on his works, he continues to show results with his directing skills with the box office results. Listed below are all the movies he directed ranked with their box office results.

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Aliens of the Deep

Aliens of the Deep is a film directed and produced by James Cameron released on January 28, 2005. The documentary film distributed by Walt Disney Pictures has made over $8,968,684 domestic gross and about $12,765,684 on the worldwide box office. The movie is about Director James Cameron exploring the depths of the ocean together with a crew of Russian research vessel.

Ghosts of the Abyss

Ghosts of the Abyss is a film directed and produced by James Cameron released on April 11, 2003. The documentary film distributed by Walt Disney Pictures has made over $17,093,668 domestic gross and $28,742,313 on the worldwide box office. The movie is about James Cameron traveling to Titanic’s final resting spot. The director is accompanied by team of historians with his friend Bill Paxton. The film looks back through time to allow the audience to see the never before seen images of the mammoth cruise liner and help them understand more what really happened on that fateful night.

The Abyss

The Abyss is a film directed by James Cameron released on August 9, 1989. The sci-fi film distributed by 20th Century Studios is has made over $54,243,441 on the world wide box office. The movie is about formerly married petroleum engineers played by Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The ex couple still have issues to resolve. They are being drafted to assist the gung-ho Navy SEAL with a top secret recovery operation.

The Terminator

The Terminator is a film directed by James Cameron released on October 26, 1984. The action film distributed by Orion Pictures has made over $38,019,031 on domestic gross and $78,019,031 on the worldwide box office. The movie is about a cyborg assassin Terminator played by Arnold Schwarzenegger who was disguised as human. He travelled from 2029 to 1984 with a mission to kill Sarah Connor played by Linda Hamilton. He was sent to kill Sarah while Kyle Reese played by Michael Biehn was sent to protect Sarah.

Aliens

Aliens is a film directed by James Cameron released on July 18, 1986. The action film distributed by 20th Century Studios has made over $85,160,248 domestic gross and $183,300,764 on worldwide box office. The film is about the Lt. Ripley's played by Sigourney Weaver whose shuttle has been stuck on the space for 57 years and is found by a deep space salvage team. When they arrived at at LV-426, the marines found only one survivor, which is a nine year old girl Newt played by Carrie Henn.

True Lies

True Lies is a film directed and produced by James Cameron released on July 15, 1994. The comedy film distributed by 20th Century Studios has made over $146,282,411 on domestic gross and $365,300,000 on worldwide box office. The film is about Harry Tasker played by Arnold Schwarzenegger is secretly a spy but people who know him thought that he was just a dull salesman. He is tasked to track down the nuclear missiles which is in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz played by Art Malik.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a film directed and produced by James Cameron released on July 2, 1991. The action film distributed by TriStar Pictures has made over $203,464,105 on domestic gross and $515,390,883 on worldwide box office. The movie is a sequel to The Terminator which is set about eleven years after the first movie. Young John Connor played by Edward Furlong is the key to the civilization's victory over the future uprising of the robots.

Titanic

Titanic is a film directed and produced by James Cameron released on December 19, 1997. The drama film distributed by 20th Century Pictures has made over $659,363,944 domestic gross and $2,207,986,545 on the worldwide box office. The movie is about the epic and the action packed romance which is set against the ill-fated maiden on the R.M.S. Titanic which is the pride and joy of White Star Line. During that time, it is the largest moving object ever built and was the most luxurious liner of that era.

Avatar

Avatar is a film directed and produced by James Cameron released on December 18, 2009. The sci-fi film distributed by 20th Century Pictures has made over $760,507,625 domestic gross and $2,845,899,541 on the worldwide box office. The film is about the alien world of the Pandora live the Na'vi, the beings who appear to be primitive but they are highly evolved. Due to the poisonous environment of the planet, the Na'vi hybrids called Avatars must link the human minds to allow for the free movement on the Pandora.

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Sources: IMDB, Britannica, The Numbers

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