The Russo Brothers Are The Only Directors To Match A James Cameron Box Office Accomplishment

The Russo Brothers are some of the most well-known directors today thanks to their involvement in directing several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that made over a billion at the box office, along with several other movies and TV shows. Likewise, James Cameron is a household name due to his films spanning four decades and numerous genres with great commercial and critical success. Just as Joe and Anthony Russo have gained popularity for their involvement in a beloved superhero franchise, Cameron built his name by directing beloved film series like the original, and best, Terminator movies and the Avatar series, which Cameron will expand further in coming years.

In the case of both the Russo Brothers and James Cameron, their box office results speak for themselves, as they have each directed some of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Cameron's 2009 movie Avatar remains the highest-grossing movie ever at an incredible $2.92 billion (via Box Office Mojo). The Russo Brothers' 2019 movie Avengers: Endgame follows in second place with $2.79 billion (via Box Office Mojo). These impressive results, being repeated with multiple other features, have led to Cameron and the Russo pair being the only directors to reach an impressive box office milestone.

The Russo Brothers & James Cameron Are The Only People To Direct Three #1 Movies Of The Year At The Box Office

The Directors Have Held A Collective Six Highest-Grossing Movies Over The Past 27 Years

Close

James Cameron made history in 1997 when Titanic became the highest-grossing film of all time, and certainly the highest-grossing of that year. In fact, Titanic is the only 20th-century movie that remains on the highest-grossing list today, not factoring in inflation. Along with Titanic, James Cameron topped the box office again in 2009 with Avatar and a third time in 2022 with Avatar: The Way of Water, showcasing audience interest in the fantastical world-building and visual effects abundant in the series.

Because it is difficult to track the top-grossing movie of the year prior to 1977, which saw the release of Star Wars, this article focuses on the decades for which data is readily available.

For the Russo Brothers, their biggest box office hits have come from recent MCU movies, beginning in 2016 with Captain America: Civil War. As the popularity of the MCU grew throughout the 2010s, so did the franchise's box office success. Additionally, since Civil War and the Avengers movies saw many audiences' favorite characters appear together, it makes sense that these movies would reach peak popularity. Fittingly, the Russo Brothers finished at the top of the box office again in 2018 for Avengers: Infinity War and in 2019 for Avengers: Endgame.

2025 Could Break James Cameron & The Russo Brothers' Box Office Record Tie

Cameron Has A New Avatar Movie Coming Out In 2025

Close

As one of the most anticipated movies of 2025, James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash has the potential to break the tie for most #1 movies. Given the previous success of Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, it seems likely that Avatar: Fire and Ash will do well at the box office in 2025. If it goes on to become the top movie of the year, this will allow Cameron to break the record once again.

Like the success of the Avatar series, the success of the MCU, especially considering that Doomsday will mark the return of several beloved MCU actors, hints that the movie could become a massive box office success.

However, while James Cameron might come out on top in 2025, 2026 could see the Russo Brothers tie him again. Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on May 1, 2026, with the Russos directing the project. Like the success of the Avatar series, the success of the MCU, especially considering that Doomsday will mark the return of several beloved MCU actors, hints that the movie could become a massive box office success. If the previous successes of their franchises hold, Cameron and the Russo Brothers could continue to battle for the most #1 movies for the next several years.

Source: Box Office Mojo