James Cameron Commissioned A Scientific Study To Settle The Long-Running Debate Over Whether Jack Could Have Joined Rose On Her Makeshift Raft In “Titanic”

Cameron said the special on the findings will air in February, when an ultra high definition restoration of Titanic is scheduled to hit theaters.

“We took two stunt people who were the same body mass of Kate and Leo and we put sensors all over them and inside them and we put them in ice water and we tested to see whether they could have survived through a variety of methods and the answer was, there was no way they both could have survived,” the Oscar-winning director said. “Only one could survive.”

Jack’s fate in that film is arguably one of the most iconic deaths in cinema because of the tragic love story, but also because of the never-ending debate over whether Rose could have just scooted over and made room for him. Cameron, though, said Jack needed to die.

“It’s like Romeo and Juliet. It’s a movie about love and sacrifice and mortality. The love is measured by the sacrifice,” Cameron said. “Maybe after 25 years, I won’t have to deal with this anymore.”