James Cameron Earns $350 Million from AVATAR

Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time with $2.7 billion worldwide, and that doesn’t even factor in DVD/merchandise sales or the forthcoming theatrical re-release.  As a raw number, $350 million is an astoundingly high paycheck for writer/director James Cameron.  But as a percentage of the theatrical gross, 13% actually seems kinda reasonable.

Deadline reports that Cameron will score the massive payday thanks a savvily negotiated contract and DVD sales that performed “beyond expectation.”  The number more than triples his reported $97 million haul for the previous top-grosser Titanic, but even that number should increase after a 3D re-release in April 2012.  In case it wasn’t self-evident, an Avatar sequel is on the way: let’s see if Cameron can top $400 mil.