The Highest Grossing James Cameron Movies

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20th Century Fox

James Cameron has directed some of the most successful movies of all time! But which of his films have scored biggest at the box office? Here are the highest grossing James Cameron movies, adjusted for inflation…

7) The Abyss

When a nuclear sub sinks in one of the deepest parts of the ocean, a Navy SEAL team is sent to a nearby underwater drilling platform to attempt a rescue. But they come up against some sinister extra terrestrial forces. 

Worldwide box office in 1989: $54,243,441

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $114,996,095

6) The Terminator 

The original introduction to Arnie’s iconic Terminator. In the future, machines have taken over. Whilst most humans have died, a small resistance survives. Led by John Connor, the resistance fights back against the machines. To get rid of the problem, the machines send a terminator back in time to kill John’s mother before John is born. 

Worldwide box office in 1984: $78,019,031

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $197,388,148

5) Aliens 

Picking up where Ridley Scott’s Alien left off, we rejoin Ripley, who has been floating in stasis for 57 years. She’s picked up by a salvage team, shortly before they land on a colonised moon where they’ve lost communications with the inhabitants. What’s ravaged the colony? Ripley’s old friends, the xenomorphs! 

Worldwide box office in 1986: $183,300,764

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $439,921,834

4) True Lies 

Arnie plays Harry Tasker – a spy on the trail of some jihadi nuclear missiles. But when he goes home at the end of each mission, his family thinks he’s a boring salesman. Things get interesting when he discovers his wife is having an affair.  

Worldwide box office in 1994: $365,300,000

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $646,581,000

Highest Grossing James Cameron Movies
TriStar Pictures

3) Terminator 2: Judgment Day 

Skynet is at it again in Terminator 2! After the T800 failed to kill Sarah Connor before John was born, it sends back a liquid metal T1000 to target John as a teenager. The resistance manages to reprogram a T800 to send back in time to protect John, anc the two terminators battle it out. 

Worldwide box office in 1991: $515,390,883

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $994,704,404

2) Avatar 

In a future where Earth’s natural resources have been depleted, we must mine minerals from the alien planet of Pandora. The planet is inhabited by the Na’Vi. Because the planet is poisonous, humans must digitally sync up with human-Na’Vi hybrids (Avatar) in order to explore the planet. When paraplegic marine Jake Sully falls in love with a native via his Avatar, he stands in the way of the mission. 

Worldwide box office in 2009: $2,802,013,640

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $3,446,476,777

1) Titanic 

Based on the tragic events of the 1912 maiden voyage of the Titanic as it travelled from England to America, Titanic follows the love story between Rose – the daughter of a wealthy family – and Jack, a poor chancer who won a ticket in a poker game. 

Worldwide box office in 1997: $2,207,986,545

Adjusted for inflation in 2021: $3,621,097,934

There you have it – the highest grossing James Cameron movies, adjusted for inflation!