James Cameron details how the iconic Leonardo DiCaprio line from Titanic came to be. Released 25 years ago, Titanic smashed box office records despite its challenges. Before its premiere, the movie was expected to be an enormous flop. Cost overruns, a delayed release date, long production, and reports of on-set injuries plagued the film before it came out on Dec. 19, 1997. Titanic went on to not only become the highest-grossing movie of its time — at the time of this writing, it's still the third highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide — but the film won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and a Best Director win for Cameron.In an interview with THR, James Cameron finally reveals how Leonardo's iconic line was improvised. Described by Cameron as coming in a moment of pure elation, DiCaprio's Jack Dawson stands against the bow of the titular ship and screams out, "I'm king of the world!" According to Cameron, the line was an expression of life, who added that the character's vitality was unquenchable and full of potential. Initially, the writer-director had DiCaprio howl like a wolf. They tried this ten times, and while the actor's spirit was present and fitting for the scene, the right word proved elusive. Suddenly, the idea of shouting "I'm king of the world" came to Cameron, who radioed the suggestion in. Watch the video below for Cameron's breakdown of the scene and DiCaprio's hilarious reaction to Cameron's suggestion.
Why Titanic Holds Up 25 Years Later
As said before, Titanic found massive critical, commercial, and Oscar success: if the film were released today, there's little doubt that it wouldn't receive the same reception. While some visual effects haven't aged well, the heart amid the substantial terror of the story still holds up. Jack and Rose are two vibrant characters, and their Romeo-and-Juliet-like love story is timeless and will always find success. Add that ingredient to the tale of terror that is Titanic, and the result is a recipe for undoubted triumph. It's a dynamic film that mixes romance and horror to a heartwarming and gut-wrenching degree, so watching the movie 25 years later still brings up the same awe and horror it did in 1997.
The line's still iconic today—Cameron's right in saying that it became the whole focal point of the scene. After winning the ticket in a card game and being able to venture out on such a legendary journey, Jack shouts out a line that comes at the right time and becomes so unfortunately ironic, as the audience knows how that trip ends, hoping that Jack will come out as a survivor. While the romance is doomed by the nature of the real-life events the movie's inspired by, seeing how the fever of love burns strongly in Jack and Rose throughout Titanic establishes the film's legacy as one of the most iconic movies of all time.
Source: THR