(L to R) Director James Cameron and Oona Chaplin on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. Photo by Mark Fellman. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L to R) Director James Cameron and Oona Chaplin on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. Photo by Mark Fellman. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Almost 30 years after he first said it, James Cameron is still "The King of the World."

Cameron is the highest grossing filmmaker in history having directed 3 of the top 4 highest grossing movies of all time including 'Avatar', 'Avatar: The Way of Water' and 'Titanic', with each film making over $2 billion dollars each.

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar: Fire and Ash
"The world of Pandora will change forever."
76
Audience
79
Review
Release Dec 19, 2025Runtime 3h 18mBudget $350M

But will his latest film, 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' be added to that top box office list? We'll find out on December 19th when the film finally opens in theaters, which stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña and Oona Chaplin.

In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every film James Cameron has ever directed, including his latest.

Let's begin!

Related Article: James Cameron Says He Has Some Ideas for ‘Avatar’ Animated Spin-Offs


11. 'Piranha II: The Spawning' (1982)

1982's 'Piranha II: The Spawning'. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
1982's 'Piranha II: The Spawning'. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

A scuba diving instructor, her biochemist boyfriend, and her police chief ex-husband try to link a series of bizarre deaths to a mutant strain of piranha fish whose lair is a sunken freighter ship off a Caribbean island resort.

Piranha II: The Spawning
Piranha II: The Spawning
"It started as a vacation..."
43
Audience
Release Nov 5, 1982Runtime 1h 34mBudget $145,786

10. 'Xenogenesis' (1978)

1978's 'Xenogenesis'.
1978's 'Xenogenesis'.

A woman and an engineered man are sent in a gigantic sentient starship to search space for a place to start a new life cycle. Raj decides to take a look around the ship. He comes across a gigantic robotic cleaner. Combat ensues.

Xenogenesis
Xenogenesis
50
Audience
Release Jan 1, 1978Runtime 12m

9. 'The Abyss' (1989)

(L to R) Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Ed Harris in 'The Abyss'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
(L to R) Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Ed Harris in 'The Abyss'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver (Ed Harris) soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.

The Abyss
The Abyss
"When you get there, you will understand."
74
Audience
Release Aug 9, 1989Runtime 2h 20mBudget $43M

8. 'Avatar: The Way of Water' (2022)

(L to R) Jack Champion and Stephen Lang in director James Cameron's 'Avatar: The Way of Water.' Photo: Walt Disney Studios.
(L to R) Jack Champion and Stephen Lang in director James Cameron's 'Avatar: The Way of Water.' Photo: Walt Disney Studios.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, learn the story of the Sully family (Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water
"Return to Pandora."
76
Audience
80
Review
Release Dec 16, 2022Runtime 3h 12mBudget $460M

7. 'True Lies' (1994)

(L to R) Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in 'True Lies'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
(L to R) Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in 'True Lies'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) might be having an affair with a used car salesman (Bill Paxton) while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.

True Lies
True Lies
"When he said I do, he never said what he did."
71
Audience
Release Jul 15, 1994Runtime 2h 21mBudget $115M

6. 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' (2025)

Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios' 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios' 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

In the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na'vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang (Oona Chaplin). Jake's family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar: Fire and Ash
"The world of Pandora will change forever."
76
Audience
79
Review
Release Dec 19, 2025Runtime 3h 18mBudget $350M

5. 'Avatar' (2009)

(L to R) Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña in 'Avatar'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
(L to R) Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña in 'Avatar'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine (Sam Worthington) is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.

Avatar
Avatar
"Enter the world of Pandora."
76
Audience
Release Dec 18, 2009Runtime 2h 42mBudget $237M

4. 'The Terminator' (1984)

Arnold Schwarzenegger in 'The Terminator'. Photo: Orion Pictures.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in 'The Terminator'. Photo: Orion Pictures.

In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior (Michael Biehn) to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?

The Terminator
The Terminator
"Your future is in its hands."
77
Audience
Release Oct 26, 1984Runtime 1h 48mBudget $6.4M

3. 'Titanic' (1997)

(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in 'Titanic'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in 'Titanic'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

101-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) tells the story of her life aboard the Titanic, 84 years later. A young Rose (Kate Winslet) boards the ship with her mother (Frances Fisher) and fiancé (Billy Zane). Meanwhile, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Fabrizio De Rossi (Danny Nucci) win third-class tickets aboard the ship. Rose tells the whole story from Titanic's departure through to its death—on its first and last voyage—on April 15, 1912.

Titanic
Titanic
"Nothing on earth could come between them."
79
Audience
Release Dec 19, 1997Runtime 3h 14mBudget $200M

2. 'Aliens' (1986)

Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn in 'Aliens'.
(L to R) Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn in 'Aliens'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.

Aliens
Aliens
"This time it's war."
80
Audience
Release Jul 18, 1986Runtime 2h 17mBudget $18.5M

1. 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991)

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day.'
Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day.'

Ten years after the events of the original, a reprogrammed T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger)is sent back in time to protect young John Connor (Edward Furlong) from the shape-shifting T-1000. Together with his mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton), he fights to stop Skynet from triggering a nuclear apocalypse.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
"It's nothing personal."
82
Audience
Release Jul 3, 1991Runtime 2h 17mBudget $102M