James Cameron is a Canadian filmmaker who has had an extensive career in film and television. Cameron's debut was the 1978 science fiction short Xenogenesis, which he directed, wrote and produced. In his early career, he did various technical jobs such as special visual effects producer, set dresser assistant, matte artist, and photographer. His feature directorial debut was the 1982 release Piranha II: The Spawning. The next film he directed was the science fiction action thriller The Terminator (1984) which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular cyborg assassin, and was Cameron's breakthrough feature. In 1986, he directed and wrote the science fiction action sequel Aliens starring Sigourney Weaver. He followed this by directing another science fiction film The Abyss (1989). In 1991, Cameron directed the sequel to The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (with Schwarzenegger reprising his role), and also executive produced the action crime film Point Break. Three years later, he directed a third Schwarzenegger-starring action film True Lies (1994).
In 1997, Cameron directed, wrote, and produced the epic romantic disaster film Titanic which grossed over $1.8 billion at the worldwide box-office and became the highest grossing of all time. He received the Academy Award for Best Director, the Academy Award for Best Film Editing, and shared the Academy Award for Best Picture with the other producers. It had a total of 14 Oscar nominations (tying the record set by the 1950 drama All About Eve) and won 11 (tying the record set by the 1959 epic historical drama Ben-Hur). Cameron also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and shared the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama with the other producers. He followed this by directing, and producing two underwater documentaries: Ghosts of the Abyss (2003), and Aliens of the Deep (2005). He returned to directing features in 2009 with the 3D science fiction film Avatar. It grossed over $2.9 billion at the worldwide box-office and became the highest grossing of all time surpassing Titanic. Avatar was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won three in technical categories. Cameron also earned a second Golden Globe Award for Best Director, and Best Motion Picture – Drama. He followed this by executive producing two 3D films, Sanctum (2011) and Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (2012), as well as the documentary Deepsea Challenge 3D (2014). Cameron directed Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), a sequel to Avatar (2009), which was the highest-grossing film of the year with over $2.3 billion at the worldwide box-office. It received generally positive reviews and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. A third film in the Avatar series, Avatar: Fire and Ash, was released on December 19, 2025.
Cameron made his television debut in 1998 playing himself in the sitcom Mad About You. Two years later, he executive produced the science fiction television series Dark Angel (2000) starring Jessica Alba. In 2005, he appeared in two documentaries about the sinking of the RMS Titanic: Last Mysteries of the Titanic, and Tony Robinson's Titanic Adventure. He also made appearances as himself on the comedy-drama television series Entourage that same year. Cameron followed this by executive producing two biblical documentaries, The Exodus Decoded (2006) and Lost Tomb of Jesus (2007). He executive produced and appeared in a third Titanic related documentary, Titanic: Final Word with James Cameron, in 2012. Two years later, Cameron executive produced the climate change documentary television series Years of Living Dangerously (2014) which received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
Film
Feature films YearTitle Credited as NotesDirectorWriterProducerEditor1978Xenogenesis Short filmCo-directed and co-written with Randall FrakesAlso visual effects producer1982Piranha II: The Spawning Co-written with Charles H. Eglee and Ovidio G. Assonitis (uncredited)1984 Co-written with Gale Anne HurdInducted into the National Film Registry in 20081985Rambo: First Blood Part II Co-written with Sylvester Stallone1986Aliens1989 1991Terminator 2: Judgment Day Co-written with William Wisher Jr.Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2023Point Break1994True Lies 1995Strange Days Co-written with Jay Cocks1997Titanic Also director of photography: Titanic deep diveInducted into the National Film Registry in 20172002Solaris2009Avatar 2019Alita: Battle Angel Co-written with Laeta Kalogridis2019Terminator: Dark Fate Story co-written with Charles H. Eglee, Josh Friedman, David S. Goyer and Justin Rhodes2022Avatar: The Way of WaterCo-written with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver2025Avatar: Fire and Ash
Executive producer only Year FilmNotes 2011Sanctum2012Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away2026PainterPost-Production
Other roles Year FilmRole 1979Rock 'n' Roll High SchoolUncredited production assistant1980Happy Birthday, GeminiSet dresser assistantBattle Beyond the StarsPhotographer, art director and miniatures designer1981Escape from New YorkSpecial visual effects photographer and matte artistGalaxy of TerrorSecond unit director and production designer1982AndroidDesign consultant2024Alien: RomulusUncredited creative consultant
Documentary film Year Title Credited as Notes Director Producer Himself2003Ghosts of the AbyssAlso Reality Camera System designerVolcanoes of the Deep Sea IMAX only2004 2005Aliens of the DeepCo-directed with Steven QualeAlso cinematographer2006Explorers: From the Titanic to the Moon 2012Side by Side 2014Deepsea Challenge 3D 2015Beyond Glory 2016Score: A Film Music Documentary 2018 2020Akashinga: The Brave Ones 2021The Six 2024Modern Masters: S. S. Rajamouli 2026Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) Concert filmTBAThe Game Changers 2
Television
Year(s)TitleRole Notes 1998Mad About YouHimselfEpisode: "The Finale"2000–2002Dark Angel—Executive producer Episode: "Pilot" Episode: "Freak Nation" 2005–2006EntourageHimself4 episodes2023True Lies—Executive producerCharacters
Documentary film Year Title Director Producer Himself Notes 2002Expedition: BismarckCo-directed with Gary Johnstone2005Last Mysteries of the TitanicTony Robinson's Titanic Adventure200620072010Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora2012Titanic: The Final Word with James CameronJames Cameron: Voyage to the Bottom of the Earth20132017Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron2023Titanic: 25 Years Later with James Cameron
Documentary series Year Title ExecutiveProducer Host 2014Years of Living Dangerously2018James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction2021Secrets of the Whales2022Super/Natural2023Secrets of the Elephants2024Secrets of the OctopusOceanXplorers2025Secrets of the Penguins
See also James Cameron's unrealized projects
Notes
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