34 Years Later, James Cameron Confirms Urban Legend He Wrote One of the Best ’90s Action Movies

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James Cameron is famous for directing blockbuster films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Titanic, and Avatar. However, he’s also worked behind the scenes on many other projects, both as a producer – including films like Solaris and Alita: Battle Angel – and as a writer, contributing to movies such as Rambo: First Blood Part II and Strange Days. Interestingly, his ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, directed Strange Days, and the two have collaborated on several films. Cameron also served as an executive producer on Bigelow’s popular film Point Break, and there’s been a long-standing rumor that he actually wrote the script. Cameron is now setting the record straight.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter promoting Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron discussed the story behind the film Point Break. He revealed that he actually wrote the script, but the Writers Guild didn’t give him official credit. “I wrote Point Break,” Cameron stated, adding, “I was completely cheated by the Writers Guild on that. It was ridiculous.” The screenplay is officially credited to W. Peter Iliff.

1991 Was a Big Year for James Cameron

By 1991, James Cameron had already directed successful films like The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss, but that year marked a new high point in his career. He both wrote Point Break and released Terminator 2, making him a key creative force behind two of the year’s biggest action movies. Adding even one of these films to a director’s resume would be impressive, but Cameron achieved this with both released within a week of each other in early July. Terminator 2 became the highest-grossing film of 1991, earning $204.8 million domestically. While Point Break didn’t perform as well – overshadowed by T2 – it still grossed $43.2 million and played a role in launching Keanu Reeves’ action movie career.

Cameron didn’t discuss the Writers Guild issue in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, but many are surprised he wasn’t credited for the Point Break screenplay. He played a significant role in its development, revising the script and refining important details like the bank-robbing ex-Presidents. It’s fair to say Point Break wouldn’t be as popular without his contributions. While Kathryn Bigelow, as director, rightfully receives most of the praise for the film’s exciting action, the script and the compelling relationships between the characters—especially Bodhi and Johnny Utah—are what truly make Point Break special.

The controversy over Cameron’s writing credit on Point Break clearly didn’t hurt his career. He followed the success of Terminator 2 with another popular Arnold Schwarzenegger film, True Lies, and then went on to create Titanic, which won numerous awards and broke box office records. For the last twenty years, he’s been focused on the Avatar films, which have also become massive hits. While Cameron would have appreciated receiving proper credit for Point Break, he didn’t lack for opportunities. Terminator 2 was the more significant project, establishing him as a director known for his daring and large-scale vision.

While not widely known, Point Break is still a film connected to Cameron’s career. Bringing up this detail now likely won’t resolve any issues with the Writers Guild, but it’s a fun fact for fans of the movie. It might even inspire viewers to learn more about the film’s history and how it could have turned out differently if Cameron hadn’t been involved in writing the script.

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2025-12-18 00:10