Welcome to the CAMERONVERSE

On the eve of the new Avatar release, Esquire spent time with James Cameron in his fun-house studio, surrounded by some of his most famous and fearsome creations. We talked about technology, grief, loss, Al, and whether he can save the box office. Step this way!

- By Roberto Croci Photographs by Johan Sandberg

Oyster Perpetual Deepsea watch, in Oystersteel with Cerachrom bezel insert in black ceramic and Oyster bracelet, by Rolex; clothing, Cameron's own.

OUR JOURNEY INTO JAMES CAMERON’S universe begins at Lightstorm Entertainment in Manhattan Beach, California, the independent production company founded by the Canadian director, technologist, and explorer in 1990.

Inside, it looks more like a museum than a film studio. To reach Cameron's office, you first walk through a hangar filled with an extensive collection of movie props. Life-size statues of Jake and Neytiri, the blue protagonists of the Avatar saga, stand alongside the steel skeleton of the Terminator, a replica of the infamous Queen from Aliens, and two models of the Titanic—both the massive structure used for underwater shots and the wreck featured in Cameron’s documentary on the doomed ship. These displays set the stage for our meeting with the filmmaker.

Cameron has earned his reputation as a box-office king, with his movies—including Titanic, both Terminators, Aliens, and the two Avatar films (so far)—grossing $8.7 billion worldwide. His films reveal his deep passion for the ocean, beginning with 1989’s The Abyss, much of which was shot underwater in a 7.5-million-gallon tank at a decommissioned nuclear facility. The motif continued with Titanic, which won eleven Oscars, and now culminates in the highly anticipated third installment of his Avatar series, Fire and Ash, key portions of which are set in and on the water. The film hits theaters December 17.

“An espresso?” Cameron asks as he welcomes us into a conference room hung with his sketches and posters from his youth. Then he sits down, ready for our talk—about his latest film, nature, technology, Hollywood, the future.

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