While titanic is now the second highest movie ever, behind another james cameron film, avatar, it is still loved by millions and still. Director james cameron built a gigantic water tank and various sets on 24 acres in mexico. Titanic is a 1997 american epic romance and disaster film directed, written, coproduced, and coedited by james cameron. It cost more money to make the movie titanic than it did to actually construct the original ship. The film begins with the robotic exploration of the titanic s. Twentieth century fox the final cut of titanic is 195 minutes long. Id say 85 per cent of what you see in titanic was done incamera. There must have been someone out there who thought it would happen, but that person would have been in the minority. James camerons titanic in 1997 james cameron was given the green light to make a blockbuster disaster movie based on the facts of the titanic. For a long time, titanic was the highestgrossing movie of all time. The point of view is from above, as the great ship steams to its destiny. James cameron didnt believe in converting movies to 3d, until he created titanic 3d. Special effects live up to hype in titanic roger ebert. Upon its release on december 19, 1997, titanic achieved.
The inside story of the making of the movie hollywood. Mar 26, 2012 titanic is a 1997 american epic romance and disaster film directed, written, coproduced, and coedited by james cameron. Also, the collision with the iceberg reportedly lasted 37 seconds, which is how long the collision scene is in the movie. Titanic 1997 the stories of the making of titanic could and have filled a book. Benhur 1925 was the most expensive film of the silent era, possibly holding the record for over twenty years. A nearly identical replica of the doomed ship is scheduled to make its maiden voyage in 2022, the atlanta journal. Entertainment attorney tom hanson also doubted that titanic is going to encourage studios to. The titanic the most expensive film ever made is hitting american cinemas amid controversy over its cost. For studio films, the traditional safe bet is to spend major money on a.
The movie cost more than it cost to build the titanic james cameron image. In 1997, titanic came out, and while the press was already saying it would be a flip because of the size of the budget it had, the fact is that titanic broke records, stayed on top for 14 weeks, and for 12 years, it was the highest grossing movie of all time. The ship was actually the film companies second choice, with the r. Final cost of the production of titanic, the most expensive of the 20th century. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the rms titanic, it stars. Its an undeniable fact that the 1997, 11 oscarwinner is an incredible technical achievement. The full scale titanic built for james camerons titanic. This budget is bigger than the building cost of the actual titanic ship. Creating movie magic digitally is cost effective, and can cut production. With leonardo dicaprio, kate winslet, billy zane, kathy bates.
Interesting behindthescenes secrets about the titanic. Did the film titanic cost more to make than it did to build. The titanic s maiden voyage began in southampton, england, with stops in france and ireland prior to sailing for new york and a total of 1,343 passengers and 885 crew. James camerons titanic 1997 making the ship for the movie. Paramount picturesbig budget films and cgi go hand in hand. Dec 11, 2017 it cost more to make titanic the movie than titanic the ship. One of the most beloved films of the 20th century, titanic made james cameron king of the cinematic world. Fox executives panicked and suggested an hour of specific cuts from the threehour film. Did the film titanic cost more to make than it did to. The film tells the tale of a love story aboard the luxury liner when it sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, killing more than 1,600 people. And no this isnt viral marketing for a sequel to the james cameron movie. From transformers to avatar, 50 most expensive movies. The scenes set in 1912 the whole movie except the presentday scenes and the opening and ending credits have a total length of two hours and forty minutes, the exact time it took for titanic to sink.
Apr 24, 2017 the industry was abuzz with rumors about titanic, the first film from director james cameron since 1994s true lies. There is a shot in titanic that i watched like a hawk. The titanic ii, which is really what its called, is going to set sail in 2022, reportsusa today. Interesting behindthescenes secrets about the titanic movie. In one apparently uninterrupted piece of celluloid, we see the ship from bow to stern, every foot of it, with flags flying and smoke coiling from its stacks, and on the deck hundreds of passengers strolling, children running, servants serving, sportsmen playing. James cameron did a very good job in making that movie. Amazing behindthescenes facts about the unsinkable. Almost as soon as titanic went into production, it began to go over budget. Dec 19, 2017 7 reasons why titanic the movie could have been a shipwreck, too. Tap to play or pause gif 20th century fox via dawsonrosedawson. All time box office adjusted for ticket price inflation. Ive read about private yachts less than half the size of the titanic costing that much to build. After doing a director profile on james cameron, i feel its appropriate to include at least one behindthescenes blog post on his most wellknown film. Why is converting movies so hard and what did it take to convert one of the worlds most successful films.
Titanic had to become one of the highest grossing films ever released. Titanic ii is preparing to set sail in 2022, and you can. Inflation, filming techniques and external market forces affect the economics of film production. Time lapsed of the ship construction made for the titanic movie in 1997. He said, im going to make the best version of this movie possible, and youre going to see it all incamera. Today with ballooning budgets for everything from justice league to pirates of the caribbean. How much did it cost to make the titanic movie answers. The movie chose the greek ship athinai to double for the rms titanic in the movie.
Incorporating both historical and fictionalized aspects, the film is based on accounts of the sinking of the rms titanic, and stars leonardo dicaprio and kate winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its illfated maiden voyage. Well before it was released, james camerons passion project became notorious as the most expensive movie ever made, with a final budget. Studios and filmmakers often try to keep the information secret and will use accounting tricks to inflate or reduce announced budgets. Due to the secretive nature of hollywood accounting it is not clear which film is the most expensive film ever made. You know the history and the love story but do you know the facts, figures and tasty trivia behind this blockbuster film. The movie was shrouded in mystery, its script hidden from even the most probing.
Mar 28, 2018 but check it out the movie titanic cost more than the actual ship. Going all the way to make one great movie by james cameron. The film proved immensely popular, holding the alltime boxoffice gross record for more than a decade after its release. The deal has gone down as one of the most remarkable in motion picture history, and an. At this time, we dont have comparables for iceberg costs. Titanic 2, an exact replica of the original, will set sail.
A seventeenyearold aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, illfated r. Budget numbers for movies can be both difficult to find and unreliable. Fox studio executives and cameron reportedly fought. Titanic in 1912, the titanic, a steamship in englands white star line, set out on its doomed maiden voyage, with 2,227 enthusiastic passengers and crew members on board for the history making trip from southampton, england, to new york city. Titanic, american romantic adventure film, released in 1997, that centres on the sinking of the rms titanic. A nearly identical replica of the doomed ship is scheduled to make. It made more internationally than any film up to that point had made worldwide. How much could the exact same movie be made for today relying more on digital effects, vs building full sets.
The deal has gone down as one of the most remarkable in motion picture history, and an embarrassment for fox, given that titanics budget. The titanic movie cost more to make than the actual ship. When calculating a marketing budget, the rule of thumb is to spend 50 percent of the rest of the production costs preproduction, filming and postproduction source. That assessment of costs did not seem plausible in my view for two reasons. I think titanic s cost will make people look more carefully at the cost of a movie. Titanic cost of making movies stunning special effects and lavish sets. Titanic ii is preparing to set sail in 2022, and you can be. Most expensive movie sets of all time titanic, waterworld. He wanted to make an exact replica of the unsinkable liner in order to best recreate the terrifying final hours to make filmgoers believe they were actually there at the time of the tragedy. The incredible true story of how titanic got made buzzfeed news. The film tells the tale of a love story aboard the luxury liner when it sank on its maiden.
Titanic facts every super fan should know titanic movie. Its the first and probably only film to accomplish such a feat. Opening weekend gross of titanic, from december 19 to december 21, 1997. James camerons full scale titanic and 5 other incredible. After making a ton of money back in 97 and 98, the film saw a. A film thats got a sporting chance of being regarded as the toughest film shoot of all time, camerons.