The question is Spielberg vs Cameron ….who is the best? Steven Spielberg and James Cameron are two of the most successful directors of all time. So I figured it would be fun to compare these two legendary directors.
Combined they have directed 38 movies. Those movies have grossed over $12 billion in adjusted box office in North America and over $25 billion in Worldwide adjusted box office grosses. Their movies have earned 163 Oscar® nominations and 52 Oscar® wins. Those wins include a Best Picture Oscar® for Schindler’s List and Titanic. Spielberg has two Best Director Oscars® for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan while Cameron won the Best Director Oscar® for Titanic
The following Spielberg vs Cameron table looks at all of their movies. The tables ranks Spielberg and Cameron movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information.
This Spielberg vs Cameron Table Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort by who directed the movie
- Sort Spielberg or Cameron movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Spielberg or Cameron movies by adjusted worldwide box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Spielberg or Cameron movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Spielberg or Cameron movie received.
- Sort Spielberg or Cameron movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| CreditRank | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Review % | Oscar Nom / Win | S | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CreditRank | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review % | Oscar Nom / Win | S | UMR Score |
| 2 | Schindler's List (1993) AA Best Picture Win AA Best Director Win |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 96.10 | 290.1 | 970.1 | 9 | 94 | 12 / 07 | 100.0 | |
| 2 | Titanic (1997) AA Best Picture Win AA Best Director Win |
Directed by James Cameron | 621.80 | 1,693.3 | 5,523.5 | 1 | 78 | 14 / 11 | 99.8 | |
| 1 | Saving Private Ryan (1998) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Director Win |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 214.50 | 571.8 | 1,278.9 | 1 | 93 | 11 / 05 | 99.8 | |
| 3 | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Director Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 246.20 | 1,106.8 | 1,744.3 | 1 | 92 | 08 / 04 | 99.7 | |
| 4 | Jaws (1975) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 262.50 | 1,600.6 | 2,885.1 | 1 | 93 | 04 / 03 | 99.7 | |
| 5 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Director Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 416.70 | 1,771.7 | 3,293.0 | 1 | 87 | 09 / 04 | 99.7 | |
| 6 | Lincoln (2012) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Director Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 182.20 | 286.1 | 432.3 | 13 | 89 | 12 / 02 | 99.6 | |
| 7 | Avatar (2009) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Director Nom |
Directed by James Cameron | 748.80 | 1,247.9 | 4,627.0 | 1 | 85 | 09 / 03 | 99.6 | |
| 10 | Aliens (1986) | Directed by James Cameron | 141.00 | 475.0 | 475.0 | 3 | 94 | 07 / 02 | 99.6 | |
| 8 | The Color Purple (1985) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 94.20 | 331.6 | 500.6 | 4 | 87 | 11 / 00 | 99.5 | |
| 11 | Terminator 2 (1991) | Directed by James Cameron | 204.80 | 608.2 | 1,543.5 | 2 | 89 | 06 / 04 | 99.4 | |
| 12 | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) AA Best Director Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 124.40 | 697.3 | 1,659.7 | 3 | 91 | 08 / 01 | 99.4 | |
| 17 | The Terminator (1984) | Directed by James Cameron | 53.10 | 197.6 | 346.4 | 13 | 91 | 00 / 00 | 98.8 | |
| 13 | Minority Report (2002) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 132.10 | 284.6 | 772.4 | 17 | 88 | 01 / 00 | 98.6 | |
| 14 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 196.20 | 617.7 | 1,489.8 | 2 | 84 | 03 / 01 | 98.5 | |
| 16 | Jurassic Park (1993) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 381.10 | 1,150.6 | 3,042.8 | 1 | 81 | 03 / 03 | 98.4 | |
| 15 | Catch Me if You Can (2002) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 164.60 | 354.8 | 758.9 | 11 | 86 | 02 / 00 | 98.4 | |
| 17 | Avatar:The Way Of Water (2022) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by James Cameron | 684.10 | 763.3 | 2,588.8 | 2 | 72 | 04 / 01 | 97.8 | |
| 18 | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 179.90 | 669.2 | 1,239.2 | 3 | 76 | 02 / 01 | 96.9 | |
| 19 | War of the Worlds (2005) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 234.30 | 457.6 | 1,155.8 | 4 | 73 | 03 / 00 | 96.3 | |
| 22 | Ready Player One (2018) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 135.80 | 185.3 | 791.1 | 24 | 78 | 01 / 00 | 95.7 | |
| 23 | The Abyss (1989) | Directed by James Cameron | 54.20 | 170.7 | 282.6 | 24 | 78 | 04 / 01 | 95.2 | |
| 21 | True Lies (1994) | Directed by James Cameron | 146.30 | 448.2 | 1,160.8 | 3 | 71 | 01 / 00 | 95.1 | |
| 23 | Bridge of Spies (2015) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 72.30 | 107.2 | 245.4 | 39 | 88 | 06 / 01 | 94.8 | |
| 25 | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 317.10 | 552.1 | 1,369.5 | 3 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 94.2 | |
| 28 | A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 78.60 | 173.9 | 522.0 | 28 | 72 | 02 / 00 | 93.3 | |
| 29 | War Horse (2011) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 79.90 | 125.9 | 279.9 | 41 | 74 | 06 / 00 | 91.6 | |
| 27 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 229.10 | 623.9 | 1,684.7 | 3 | 59 | 01 / 00 | 91.2 | |
| 30 | The Post (2017) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 81.90 | 114.1 | 243.2 | 39 | 78 | 02 / 00 | 90.7 | |
| 31 | Munich (2005) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Director Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 47.40 | 92.6 | 254.6 | 62 | 80 | 05 / 00 | 89.8 | |
| 30 | Hook (1991) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 119.70 | 355.3 | 893.3 | 6 | 49 | 05 / 00 | 88.6 | |
| 32 | West Side Story (2021) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 38.50 | 44.5 | 85.7 | 34 | 86 | 07 / 01 | 88.4 | |
| 34 | The Adventures of Tintin (2011) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 77.60 | 122.3 | 589.5 | 44 | 76 | 01 / 00 | 88.2 | |
| 35 | Amistad (1997) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 44.20 | 120.5 | 177.9 | 48 | 73 | 04 / 00 | 87.8 | |
| 36 | The Terminal (2004) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 77.90 | 156.7 | 441.7 | 35 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 87.5 | |
| 35 | The Fabelmans (2022) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by Steven Spielberg | 17.30 | 19.4 | 46.5 | 57 | 87 | 07 / 00 | 85.0 | |
| 37 | Empire of the Sun (1987) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 22.20 | 71.1 | 211.8 | 52 | 76 | 06 / 00 | 83.2 | |
| 38 | Always (1989) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 43.90 | 138.1 | 233.4 | 29 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 83.2 | |
| 41 | Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 29.50 | 116.9 | 168.5 | 24 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 80.0 | |
| 40 | The BFG (2016) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 55.50 | 80.2 | 265.0 | 60 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 79.9 | |
| 43 | 1941 (1979) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 31.80 | 158.1 | 460.4 | 27 | 43 | 03 / 00 | 78.9 | |
| 39 | The Sugarland Express (1974) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 7.50 | 50.1 | 50.1 | 54 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 78.3 | |
| 42 | Ghosts of the Abyss (IMAX) (2003) | Directed by James Cameron | 17.00 | 35.3 | 59.5 | 113 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 71.6 | |
| 44 | Aliens of the Deep (IMAX) (2005) | Directed by James Cameron | 9.00 | 17.5 | 24.9 | 154 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 65.3 | |
| 45 | Firelight (1964) | Robert Robyn & Beth Weber |
0.00 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 167 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 27.2 | |
| 46 | Piranaha II: The Spawning (1981) | Directed by James Cameron | 0.40 | 1.7 | 6.2 | 161 | 21 | 00 / 00 | 0.1 |
Possibly Interesting Stats From Our Spielberg vs Cameron Question
1. Movies directed: Steven Spielberg has directed 28 movies. James Cameron has directed 10 movies. Edge goes to Speilberg.
2. Box Office Comparison: James Cameron movies average $304.03 million in adjusted domestic box office gross and $943.60 million in adjusted worldwide box office. Steve Spielberg movies average $290.28 million in adjusted domestic box office gross and $545.07 million in adjusted worldwide box office. Edge goes to Cameron.
3. Critics/Audience Rating: An average Steven Spielberg has a 77.00% rating…while James Cameron’s movies average 76.42% rating according to critics and audiences. Slight edge to Spielberg.
4. Oscar® nominations in any category: Steven Spielberg movies have picked up 118 Oscar® nominations or 4.06 per movie. James Cameron movies have picked up 41 Oscar® nominations or 4.10 per movie. Slight edge to Cameron.
5. Oscar® wins in any category: James Cameron movies have picked up 21 Oscar® wins or 2.10 per movie. Steven Spielberg movies have picked up 31 Oscar® nominations or 1.10 per movie. Edge to Cameron.
6. Best Picture Oscar® nominations: Steven Spielberg has directed 9 movies that received a Best Picture nomination or 31.03% of his movies. James Cameron has directed 2 movies that received a Best Picture nomination or 20.00% of his movies. Edge to Spielberg.
7. Best Director Oscar® nominations: Steven Spielberg has received 7 Best Director nominations….winning twice. James Cameron has received 2 Best Director nominations….winning once. Edge to Spielberg.
8. Average Cogerson Movie Score: A Steven Spielberg movie has a average Cogerson Movie Score of 63.30. A James Cameron movie has a average Cogerson Movie Score of 58.95. Edge to Spielberg.
So those are the stats…who do you think is the best Spielberg or Cameron? As for me? Gotta go with Spielberg.
If you do a comment….please ignore the email address and website section. Plus due to SPAM issues I had to block your first comment. But once one of your comments are approved…you comment will show up right away.
You have to go with Steven….he does not take 10 years to make each movie. This list is loaded with great films.
Hey hinton….I agree Cameron does take huge breaks between films…I am real curious to see how long it takes him to make Avatar 2, 3 and 4….supposedly it will be done by 2019…I think 2025 is more realistic
Cameron makes good movies if he can hold his own against 25 movies….I’m going with Cameron.
@ Katie…..I agree especially when Piranha II: The Spawning represents 12% of his movies
Could go either way, Spielberg more oscars, more money…but he has the help of 17 more movies so I don’t know, both are Great but I am leaning more towards Cameron, almost equal success with less movies.
@BryRog….you sound confused in your comment…..you can not go wrong with your answer to this question
James Cameron s best
Hey Alam….ok…putting you on the Cameron side
LOVE…LOVE..YOU..TWO GREAT DIRECTORS&YOUR MOVIES.ESPECIALLY.”EMPIRE OF THE SUN,THE COLOR PURPLE,WAR OF THE WORLDS,TITANIC ,AVATAR ETC..
AS AN INDIAN WOMAN,RESIDING INDIA,LIKE INDIAN,ENGLISH,FRENCH,KOREAN,….MOVIES.
ALL THE BEST
Hey K.M.RADHA…thanks for the nice words…they are greatly appreciated.