James Cameron Used Short Extras to Enhance 'Titanic' Set

The director's unique casting decision added perceived value to the film, contributing to its record-breaking success.

James Cameron revealed in recent interviews that he only cast extras shorter than 5-foot-8 to make the sets of 'Titanic' appear larger, a decision he believes added an extra million dollars of value to the film.
The film, released in 1997, was the most expensive movie ever made at the time, with a budget reported at $200 million.
Despite the high costs and challenges of creating large-scale sets and sequences, 'Titanic' went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time, a record later broken by another Cameron film, 'Avatar'.
Other cost-saving measures included scrapping a set planned to be tilted at a three-degree angle, saving an estimated $750,000.
The 25th anniversary 4K Blu-ray and limited edition box set of 'Titanic' is now available in stores.