James Cameron's $2 Billion Sci-Fi Action Epic Was Just Toppled by 2026's Breakout Sequel

Across nearly five decades of filmmaking, James Cameron has cemented a lasting legacy with a string of movie masterpieces — Titanic, Aliens, and his two Terminator movies were all critical and box office successes. He also reshaped the science fiction genre by pushing technological boundaries and redefining the modern protagonist, featuring capable and emotionally complex female leads in his epics. One of those films has long held a box office record that’s now toppled by one of this year’s breakout hits.

You can’t bet against Cameron because he made three out of the top five all-time highest-grossing films — Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Titanic. The Avatar franchise is a box office juggernaut, with its first two films both breaking $2 billion worldwide. The Avatar franchise is one of the largest undertakings ever by any filmmaker, with three installments released across 30 years of production and development. All three Avatar films largely dominated the international box office, but they were also unstoppable in the domestic market. 2009’s Avatar is still the one to beat, with The Way of Water a close second.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Set a Billion-Dollar Box Office Record for the Franchise

Avatar: The Way of Water was the highest-grossing film of 2022 with $2.3 billion earned globally. It made its first billion in just 14 days, three days faster than the first Avatar, and four days faster than Avatar: Fire and Ash. The Way of Water had a massive international footprint with a $1.6 billion total haul, and it’s the highest-grossing film of all time in 19 foreign territories. Earning a total of $688.4 million domestically, The Way of Water is also the eighth highest-grossing film in the US.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has beaten The Way of Water‘s box office pace by netting $1 billion six days after release. It has made $1.7 billion after 12 days in theaters, $1 billion internationally, and $691 million grossed in the US. The film is now the tenth highest-grossing movie of all time, with its sights now set on the $2 billion milestone. Brand New Day is currently the highest-grossing film of 2026.

The Future Is Looking Bright for the Sony ‘Spider-Man’ Franchise

Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige confirmed plans for more Spider-Man movies, which is expected considering Brand New Day‘s breakout success. We’re not yet sure if Tom Holland will reprise the role, but he said he’s willing to do more sequels. In any case, Sony’s Spider-Man film franchise continues to thrive after nine live-action installments, which have so far hauled a total of $9.6 billion at the global box office. In contrast, Avatar, The Way of Water, and Fire and Ash have grossed $6.7 billion worldwide combined.

Cameron’s long-term career perspective has shifted after Fire and Ash, based on his recent comments. He’s now thinking about his legacy for his next project, and there’s a handful he’s considering, including what he describes as a “sacred duty,” an adaptation of Charles Pellegrino’s gripping World War II chronicle, Ghosts of Hiroshima. Cameron said he’s now mapping out “the last act” of his career, and at 71, his new priorities are now more urgent. That could affect his plans for the Avatar franchise with two more sequels lined up.