Credit: Angela George via Wikimedia CommonsAfter the OceanGate disaster, rumors spread that James Cameron was already in talks to make a film based on the tragic events. This caused the acclaimed director to condemn the “offensive rumors.”
On June 18, 2023, the Titan submersible, owned by American tourism company OceanGate went on an expedition to explore the wreckage of the Titanic. Piloted by OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, the submersible contained five people. One hour and 45 minutes into their expedition, the company lost communication with the sub.
Soon, news media worldwide covered multiple issues with OceanGate as a company and the poor construction of the Titan sub. After the Coast Guard conducted a five-day search, debris from the submersible was found, leading many experts to determine that the craft had imploded under the water pressure.
Because of the connections to the Titanic and underwater exploration, rumors naturally spread that director James Cameron, known for classic blockbusters like Avatar (2009), Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), and Titanic (1997), would direct a film based on the tragedy. These theories were shot down by Cameron immediately.
James Cameron Finds the OceanGate Film Rumor “Offensive”
Related: Documentary About Missing Submarine Sparks Outrage
After directing the record-breaking film, James Cameron became one of the foremost experts on the Titanic, including its history and deep sea exploration of the wreckage. So when rumors spread that he was in talks to direct a film about the OceanGate submersible, he had one message for theorists: stop it.
“I don’t respond to offensive rumors in the media usually, but I need to now. I’m NOT in talks about an OceanGate film, nor will I ever be.”
Related: ‘Avatar’ Director James Cameron Says He Can “Relate to Thanos” – Claims Villain Had “Viable Answer”
Previously, Cameron had spoken out about the event’s gravity, often mentioning that multiple people had contacted OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, saying, “What they were doing was too experimental, and what they were doing needed to be certified.”
James Cameron’s most significant message was that deep-sea diving was no joke and people shouldn’t treat it as such. “It’s absolutely critical for people to get the take-home message that deep submersible diving is a mature art. The safety record is the gold standard, absolutely, not only fatalities but no accidents. … Of course [what happened to the Titan is] the nightmare that we’ve all lived with; we’ve lived with it in the back of our minds.”
Do you agree with James Cameron’s comments? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below.