James Cameron had one simple trick up his sleeve while making 'Titanic' — and it saved him $750,000
People love rewatching classic films, and 'Titanic' will always have a special place in our hearts. Whether you're a longtime fan or watching it for the first time, there are plenty of interesting facts about the film that you might not have heard of. Did you know that James Cameron only hired shorter people as extras in 'Titanic'? If you ever wondered why, like us, then you've come to the right place! You may have heard Cameron talking about Kate Winslet, who played Rose, being "traumatized" by filming. Or you might know about the famous "scientific study" he used to settle the debate about whether Jack could or could not have fit on the floating door (We personally think he could've).
However, one lesser-known fact is about the extras in the film. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Cameron explained how he kept production costs lower while still maintaining the grand scale of the movie. He said, "The scale of everything was beyond anything we could imagine in terms of our prior experience." At the time, 'Titanic' was the most expensive movie ever made, and the team worried about whether it would make back the money spent. Cameron recalled, "At the time we thought, wow, there’s no way this movie could ever make its money back. It’s just impossible."
To cut costs, the team decided not to build a set with a three-degree tilt. Instead, they made two separate sets at different levels to show the ship before and after it hit the iceberg, as reported by the Telegraph. Producer Jon Landau shared how much money this saved, saying, "We saved $750,000," Virgin Radio reported. But did this change make the ship look smaller or less impressive on screen? Luckily, no. To make the set appear larger, they only hired extras who were under 5 feet 8 inches tall. Cameron explained, "It’s like we got an extra million dollars of value out of casting." It's just one of those well-thought-out details that helped make 'Titanic' what it is today.
Besides 'Titanic', James Cameron has only worked on the 'Avatar' series as the director and his next major project is 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', the third installment in the series, scheduled for release on December 19, 2025. This film will introduce a new Na'vi clan known as the 'Ash People,' who are characterized by their more aggressive and destructive nature. Cameron has indicated that this installment will present the Na'vi from a different perspective, adding more depth and character arc to the narrative, The Verge reported.
Following 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', Cameron plans to continue the franchise with 'Avatar 4' and 'Avatar 5', slated for release in 2029 and 2031, respectively. He has also announced a new project titled 'Last Train From Hiroshima', a World War II drama based on the true story of a man who survived both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. This film will mark Cameron's first non-Avatar project since 'Titanic' and is set to begin production after the completion of the 'Avatar' sequels, Games Radar reported. In addition to these projects, Cameron has confirmed involvement in a new 'Terminator' project, though specific details and a release date have not yet been announced.