The Canadian director beat Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Nolan in the list by the Guardian newspaper's Film & Music supplement, which proclaimed him the most influential man, reports contactmusic.com.
"Cameron occupies the top two spots in the list of the highest grossing movies of all time, with 'Titanic' (worldwide gross: $1.8 billion) second only to 'Avatar' ($2.7 billion). Those figures are so high that it seems scarcely worth mentioning that other of his films, 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day', stands in the lower reaches of the top 100 with takings of over $519 million; loose change, really," said a statement from the Guardian.
The list created by experts, including the Guardian's film editor Andrew Pulvor, studio executive Colin Vaines and former artistic director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival Hannah McGill, also highlighted the importance of Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney in its top 10.
Other notable entries in the top 100 include British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen at number 26, "Prince of Persia" producer Jerry Bruckheimer at number 45 and "Kick-Ass" screenwriter Jane Goldman at number 96.
The following are the top five among the 'Film Power 100' by the Guardian newspaper's Film & Music supplement:
1. James Cameron (director)
2. Steven Spielberg (director)
3. Leonardo DiCaprio (actor)
4. John Lasseter (director)
5. Brad Pitt (actor and producer)