What Is James Cameron's Net Worth?
James Cameron, a visionary Canadian-born director, boasts a net worth of $800 million. Known for blockbusters like "The Terminator," "Aliens," "Rambo II," "The Abyss," "Terminator 2," "True Lies," "Titanic," and "Avatar," his films have redefined cinema. In the U.S. alone, his movies have grossed over $1.9 billion, with a global tally exceeding $8 billion. Three of Cameron's movies—"Titanic," "Avatar," and "Avatar: The Way of Water"—rank among the top four highest-grossing films ever.
Cameron's business acumen has further padded his wealth. By forgoing his $8 million salary for "Titanic" in favor of a percentage of the profits, he secured a staggering $650 million when the film soared to unprecedented heights. Similarly, his earnings from "Avatar" have surpassed $350 million. In 2019, Cameron was honored as a Companion of the Order of Canada (CC).
Early Life
Born on August 16, 1954, in Ontario, Canada, James Francis Cameron is the eldest of five siblings. At 17, his family relocated to Brea, California. Despite enrolling at Fullerton College in 1973, he left after a year, working various jobs, including as a truck driver and janitor. Inspired by "Star Wars" in 1977, he aspired to enter filmmaking. His first directing gig was the short film "Xenogenesis" (1978). He then worked on "Rock and Roll High School" (1979) and as an art director on "Battle Beyond the Stars" (1980).
Cameron honed his special effects skills on projects like "John Carpenter's Escape from New York" (1981) and designed for "Galaxy of Terror" (1981).
Success
The turning point came with "The Terminator" (1984). Selling the concept rights to Gale Anne Hurd for $1, Cameron secured his role as director. The gamble paid off as the film grossed $78 million on a $7 million budget. Despite losing rights to future "Terminator" sequels, he reclaimed them in 2019. Success continued with "Aliens" (1986), which won two Academy Awards, and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991), which nabbed four Oscars.
Cameron's magnum opus "Titanic" (1997) won 11 out of 14 Academy Award nominations and became another of his films preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry. "Avatar" (2009), a pioneering 3D film, won three Oscars.
Additionally, Cameron co-founded Lightstorm Entertainment, Digital Domain, and Earthship Productions. "Time" magazine listed him among the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010.
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Notable Salaries
James Cameron’s films have collectively generated over $7 billion in revenue, considering foreign markets, DVDs, video games, TV shows, and merchandise. Two of his films, "Titanic" and "Avatar," are among the highest-grossing movies ever, with budgets that set industry records: $100 million for "Terminator 2," $200 million for "Titanic," and $500 million for "Avatar." His biggest payday was from "Titanic," where trading his $8 million fee for backend profits netted him over $650 million.
In 2010 alone, thanks to "Avatar," Cameron earned an estimated $260 million. His earnings from "Avatar" have exceeded $350 million, and between "Avatar" and "Titanic," he has earned over $1 billion. In 2022, Forbes listed him as the 8th highest-earning entertainer, making $95 million largely due to "Avatar: The Way of Water" grossing $2.2 billion.
Personal Life
Cameron has been a U.S. resident since 1971. Despite applying, he withdrew his American citizenship bid after President George W. Bush's re-election in 2004.
James has been married five times. His first marriage to Sharon Williams lasted from 1978 to 1984. Following his divorce, he married film producer Gale Anne Hurd, but they divorced in 1989. That same year, he married director Kathryn Bigelow and the couple purchased a Beverly Hills home. They divorced in 1991. Cameron's fourth marriage to actress Linda Hamilton, with whom he had a daughter Josephine Archer Cameron, ended in a hefty $50 million settlement. Cameron married actress Suzy Amis in 2000, and they have three children together.
A fan of deep-sea exploration due to his work on "The Abyss" and "Titanic," Cameron became a National Geographic explorer-in-residence in 2011. The following year, he made a solo descent to the Mariana Trench, the Earth's deepest ocean point.
Real Estate
James Cameron and Suzi Amis possess an impressive collection of properties across the globe. Cameron's primary LA residence in Malibu's Serra Retreat spans 4.5 acres of combined parcels featuring two large mansions. The estate includes 16,000 square feet of living space, 11 bedrooms, two pools, multiple spas, and more. In September 2020, he listed the compound for $25 million, selling one mansion for $8.2 million in June 2021.
Formerly, Cameron owned over 700 acres of property in Malibu, initially purchased in 1999 for $5.4 million. In 2014, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority bought it for $12 million. He also sold a 65-acre property in Santa Barbara in 2005.
In 2012, Cameron invested $16 million to buy 2,500 acres of New Zealand farmland, eventually expanding it to 5,000 acres. They also own 10,000 acres in Canada, focusing on plant-based protein farming, and have properties in Crested Butte, Colorado, Austin, Texas, and Manhattan Beach, California.
In 1999, Cameron bought a 102-acre coastal property in Goleta, California. The main house, where much of "Avatar" was written, overlooks the ocean and features guest houses, a tennis court, a large pool, and a 24,000-square-foot barn housing helicopters and submarines. The property includes a helicopter pad and is self-sufficient in water and electricity.
Here is a video tour of the Goleta property:
