James Cameron is not directing a film about the OceanGate submarine that was on a journey to the wreckage of Titanic wreck when it tragically imploded last month, killing all five onboard.
The “Titanic” director, 68, took to his Instagram Story this weekend to dispel the “offensive” chatter that speculated he would be helming such a project.
“I don’t respond to offensive rumors in the media usually, but I need to now,” wrote the three-time Oscar winner. “I am NOT in talks about an OceanGate film, nor will I ever be.”
In addition to bringing 1997′s Academy Award-winning “Titanic” to the big screen, Cameron has himself visited the wreckage of the 1912 ship dozens of times.
In the wake of the OceanGate sub disaster, Cameron said he had no doubt what had happened when news circulated that the vessel had gone missing.
“I’m struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship, and yet he steamed at full speed into an ice field on a moonless night and many people died as a result,” Cameron said in an interview with ABC News. “It’s a very similar tragedy where warnings went unheeded.”
The excursion was meant to begin and end on Father’s Day, June 18, until the sub lost contact with the surface about one hour and 45 minutes into its journey.
The victims included OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, Titanic explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old Suleman Dawood, who had reportedly been “terrified” to go on the trip.
Following reports that OceanGate had continued to advertise its upcoming excursions both during and after the search-and-rescue efforts, the company finally suspended operations last week.
