Untangling James Cameron’s Icy Feuds From Over the Years

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For much of James Cameron’s career, every day has been judgement day. 

The director, known for huge franchises like Alien, Terminator, Avatar, and Titanic, has always been willing to stand up to critics, even if it takes time.

For example, consider how he reacted when Amy Poehler joked at the 2013 Golden Globes that his three-year marriage to Kathryn Bigelow felt like the torture shown in Bigelow’s film, Zero Dark Thirty.

The filmmaker, who divorced Kathryn Bigelow in 1991, described Amy Poehler’s comment as a thoughtless jab. He told The New York Times in December – nearly ten years after Poehler made the remark – that the event, meant to honor film and filmmakers, shouldn’t be used for insults. While he’s used to jokes, he felt this one crossed the line.

James Cameron recently responded to a long-standing claim by Matt Damon that he had passed on the chance to play Jake Sully in Avatar. Unlike many in Hollywood who might avoid addressing a statement from 2009—when the first Avatar movie came out—Cameron directly addressed the issue.

I recently spoke with someone about a role, and it’s come up that they were never actually offered it. Honestly, I’m a bit hazy on the details – I can’t quite recall if I even sent the script their way. It’s possible I didn’t!

Cameron said that while he remembered discussing a potential future collaboration with Damon, he clarified that Damon was never formally offered the role. They didn’t discuss the specific character, and negotiations never progressed beyond a general conversation.

Regarding Damon’s claim from 2023 that he was offered 10% of the box office earnings from Avatar if he’d played the main character, Cameron denied it once again.

He’s essentially calculated that if he’d received 10 percent of the profits from all his movies, including Avatar, he wouldn’t have made the film. He’s certain of that.

Cameron frequently addresses criticisms directly, and he’s become known over time as a director who can be challenging to work with.

Even Kate Winslet, who starred in Titanic with Leonardo DiCaprio, recently told the New York Times about their experience filming the movie in 1999. She admitted that there were times when DiCaprio would raise his voice and that things weren’t always easy for the cast and crew.

Kate Winslet acknowledges that James Cameron has changed over time, but he still has plenty of strong opinions. Here’s more about what he’s said.

In 2017, Cameron praised the enthusiastic reception to the film Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot.

He told The Guardian that all the praise Hollywood has been giving itself for Wonder Woman is misplaced. He believes the film presents a sexualized version of a female icon and represents a continuation of old patterns in the industry. While he admits he enjoyed the movie, he ultimately sees it as a setback rather than progress.

When asked about his superhero role compared to the famous Terminator, he explained that Sarah Connor wasn’t a traditional beauty icon. She was a strong, flawed character – a troubled mother, even – and she gained the audience’s respect through sheer determination. He believes this type of character is particularly important, noting that women make up half of the audience.

Jenkins responded to Cameron’s criticism on social media, stating it wasn’t surprising considering he’s a man and she is a woman.

 

For years, fans have argued about one thing in James Cameron’s famous movie, Titanic: could Rose and Jack both have fit on that floating door? Cameron has now responded to those still upset about Jack’s death.

I often get asked about Jack’s fate in the movie, and honestly, it was a deliberate creative decision. As James Cameron explained, the door simply wasn’t large enough to support both Jack and Rose. It’s heartbreaking, I know, but it was about making a powerful artistic statement, and the size of the floating debris was key to that.

He explained that the character’s death was essential to the film’s message. The story revolves around loss and parting, and the character needed to die for it to make sense. He joked that it didn’t matter how he died—whether through the plot or by accident—because the death served the artistic purpose of the film, not a realistic one.

In 2024, director Roland Emmerich of Germany described James Cameron as “overbearing.” Emmerich also mentioned he was previously considered to direct a remake of the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage.

James Cameron readily admitted he can be pushy when it comes to his films. He told The Hollywood Reporter that when he’s involved in the writing process, he definitely feels entitled to have a strong opinion about the project.

He said he doesn’t recall speaking with Roland Emmerich about Fantastic at all. He does remember spending months working with other directors to develop the project, and if he did talk to Emmerich, it would have only been for a couple of minutes. He’s confident in his memory and doesn’t have any recollection of that conversation.

When J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out in 2015, James Cameron compared it closely to the original six Star Wars films directed by George Lucas.

As someone who follows filmmaking trends closely, I have to admit I found this blockbuster a bit…safe. Compared to George Lucas’s original six films, which really pushed boundaries with their visuals, this one felt like a step back into familiar territory – the characters and storylines weren’t particularly groundbreaking. It did introduce a few new faces, which was a small move forward, but honestly, I’m on the fence. It’s too early to say if this franchise can truly innovate; I need to see where they take it next, especially considering its massive success – it was the third highest-grossing film of all time back then, right after Avatar and Titanic!

As a huge fan, I can’t believe how long the Avatar saga has been unfolding! James Cameron’s commitment is incredible – we’re looking at a twenty-two year journey from the first film to what will be the fifth and final installment, currently planned for 2031. It’s a truly epic cinematic project.

One Reddit user wondered if it was a shame that James Cameron was dedicating over 35 years to the Avatar project, given his talent.

Cameron strongly disagrees with the criticism. In a December 2025 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he explained that he feels satisfied with his work as a director and suggested that those who dislike his choices can either create their own films or simply accept his vision.

He firmly stated it was his choice, not anyone else’s. He explained it was like criticizing someone else’s relationship – completely inappropriate and none of their concern.

During the 2013 Golden Globes, Amy Poehler made a joke suggesting that Kathryn Bigelow’s three-year marriage to Cameron was comparable to the harsh treatment shown in Bigelow’s film, Zero Dark Thirty. Cameron later described the joke to The New York Times in 2025 as a thoughtless and unfair remark.

He pointed out the ceremony should be a celebration of movies and the people who make them, not an opportunity for harsh criticism. While he’s used to jokes, he felt the recent comments went too far.

Although Matt Damon said he wasn’t interested in playing Jake Sully in Avatar, director James Cameron insists that’s not how things happened.

Cameron said in December 2025 to The Hollywood Reporter that the actor was never considered for the role. He wasn’t even sure if he’d ever sent the script to him.

He clarified that no agreement was ever reached. They didn’t even discuss the character itself, and the conversation never progressed that far. The problem was simply a matter of scheduling and availability.

Cameron responded to Damon’s statement about being offered 10% of the box office by saying that if that was truly the amount it would have taken for Damon to star in Avatar, the movie wouldn’t have happened, and he meant that sincerely.

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2025-12-23 21:48