James Cameron and Christopher Nolan are the only two directors who can demand - and get - a theatrical event in 2026. But when it comes to IMAX, there's only one king.
Avatar: Fire and Ash has officially passed Oppenheimer to become the fifth highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, according to Koimoi. It's a symbolic victory in cinema's most rarefied format, and it confirms what we already knew: Cameron doesn't make movies for IMAX. He makes IMAX movies.
The numbers are staggering. Fire and Ash has earned over $200 million in IMAX alone globally, surpassing Oppenheimer's impressive $183 million IMAX haul. For context, most blockbusters would be thrilled to make $200 million total. Cameron did it in one format.
What makes this particularly delicious is the timing. Oppenheimer was Hollywood's feel-good story of 2024, a cerebral, dialogue-heavy drama that became a genuine blockbuster and swept the Oscars. It proved audiences would still show up for challenging, adult-oriented cinema. Nolan shot it on IMAX film stock, leveraged his clout to get theaters to show it properly, and the film became synonymous with the IMAX experience.
But Cameron? He's been doing this longer. The first Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) occupy the top two spots on the all-time IMAX list. Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War round out the top four. Fire and Ash at number five means Cameron now has three of the top five IMAX releases ever.
This isn't a rivalry, exactly. and make completely different films. shoots practical, often using film cameras, with complex narratives that reward repeat viewings. builds entire digital worlds, spending years perfecting underwater motion-capture technology that nobody asked for but everyone benefits from.
