James Cameron is king of the world — again
- "Avatar: The Way of Water" is the No. 7 highest-grossing movie ever with $1.7 billion globally.
- Director James Cameron has made three of the top 10 biggest movies of all time.
When James Cameron won the award for best director at the 1998 Oscars for "Titanic," he exclaimed: "I'm the king of the world!"
He still is.
"Avatar: The Way of Water," Cameron's sequel to his 2009 blockbuster "Avatar," became the No. 7 highest-grossing movie of all time over the weekend with $1.7 billion worldwide, passing "Jurassic World" and the 2019 "Lion King" remake.
Next up is the sixth biggest movie ever, "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which grossed $1.9 billion.
Cameron now has his last three scripted movies in the top 10, which span three decades: the two "Avatar" films, released in 2009 and 2022, and "Titanic," which is No. 3, released in 1997. He took long breaks between each movie, making documentaries about ocean life and focusing on his passion for deep-sea diving.
"The Way of Water" still has a ways to go to catch the first "Avatar," which is the biggest movie ever with $2.9 billion, but it's showing strong legs. It's the highest-grossing movie of 2022 at the global box office, dethroning "Top Gun: Maverick."
Cameron has already said that "The Way of Water" has earned enough money to release the planned third, fourth, and fifth installments, which are scheduled for 2024, 2026, and 2028.
"I know what I'm going to be doing the next six or seven years," Cameron said during an interview on HBO Max's HBO Max's "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?" last week. "The point is we're going to be okay."
He's also said that he has ideas for a sixth and seventh entry, but that he might "have to train somebody else" to make them.