James Cameron's Best Script Is One He Didn't Direct

James Cameron is best known for shaping the modern blockbuster with films like Terminator 2, Titanic and Avatar, yet his work as a screenwriter is seldom celebrated. He and Jay Cocks penned a dense, operatic screenplay for Strange Days and, rather than direct it himself, Cameron passed the script to his ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow; the film was produced by Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment.

Set in the final days of 1999 in a dystopian Los Angeles, Strange Days follows Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes), a black‑market vendor of devices that store other people’s memories and sensations, and Mace (Angela Bassett), a bodyguard drawn into a grim conspiracy involving Lenny’s ex, Faith Justin (Juliette Lewis).

Released October 13, 1995, the film opened to mixed reviews and weak box office returns and has long been difficult to find on VOD or Blu‑ray in North America. Over time it developed a cult following and has seen some critical reclamation; whenever it appears on a streaming service it remains urgent viewing.

james cameron, kathryn bigelow, strange days, jay cocks, lightstorm entertainment, ralph fiennes, angela bassett, juliette lewis, dystopian, los angeles