‘Damn Right’: James Cameron Responds To Independence Day Director Roland Emmerich Calling Him ‘Overbearing’

As a seasoned lifestyle expert with years of experience under my belt, I must say that the ongoing saga between James Cameron and Roland Emmerich is reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster itself. It seems that the spirit of competition and creative tension has taken center stage once again.


For quite some time, James Cameron has been contemplating a remake of the 1966 film “Fantastic Voyage.” Unfortunately, it appears that these plans for the movie may be on hold at the moment. Originally slated to direct this remake was Roland Emmerich; however, he recently expressed some harsh criticisms towards James Cameron’s work.

Following the Independence Day director’s remarks, Cameron has publicly shared his thoughts on the matter.

As a longtime fan of Roland Emmerich’s work, I found it intriguing to learn about his collaboration with James Cameron on the 1966 remake during this year’s Comic-Con. Having followed both directors’ careers for many years, I was eager to hear more about their time working together on this ambitious sci-fi project.

During a Directors on Directing panel at the fan fair, Emmerich expressed that if he’s unable to carry out his duties, his interest wanes, particularly when someone else on set holds more power than him; in such cases, he often chooses to leave the project.

In a separate interview with the outlet, James Cameron stated that he has never spoken a negative word against Roland Emmerich. 

“Damn right,” he added, responding to Emmerich’s claims. 

In simpler terms, the director of Titanic, who had written a script for Fantastic Voyage and produced the film as well, emphasized that it’s important for him to have his own thoughts or views on the project he contributes to as a writer.

During an interview with THR, the director of Ghosts of the Abyss shared that he has no recollection of collaborating or conversing with Roland Emmerich on the project Fantastic Voyage.

He, however, added that he has a brilliant memory and recalls some other directors who were working with him on the project for a few months while developing it. 

James Cameron added that, had they spoken, their conversation would’ve only lasted a couple of brief moments, Roland included.

Regarding the progress of the movie he initially intended to re-create, Avatar: The Way of Water, its director clarified, “There’s nothing new to report about it.”

At the D23 Expo 2024, James Cameron unveiled the title for his upcoming Avatar sequel – it’s called “Avatar: Fire and Smoke.”

Simultaneously, Cameron shared with the media that he’s currently developing a new Terminator project.

Avatar: Fire and Ash will be released in theaters on December 19, 2025.

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2024-08-13 10:42