James Cameron leading Titanic anniversary TV special Film director James Cameron listens to questions from journalists during a news confe...

James Cameron leading Titanic anniversary TV special

Film director James Cameron listens to questions from journalists during a news conference after he took part in the Mexico Century XXI forum at the National auditorium in Mexico City September 7, 2010. REUTERS/Henry Romero

"National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence" -- and "Titanic" movie Oscar winner -- James Cameron will lead a new two-hour special called "Titanic: The Final Word With James Cameron" on April 8 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking.

Described as the "ultimate cold-case investigation into the tragedy," Cameron's NatGeo special will unfold on a sound stage with a 42-foot replica of the ship in the background, as Cameron gathers the world's foremost Titanic experts -- engineers, naval architects, artists and historians -- to try to come up with the ultimate explanation of why the unsinkable ship sank in April 1912.

"An investigation of this magnitude has never been attempted before, and some of the revelations may alter the fundamental interpretation of what exactly happened to the Titanic," according to a NatGeo release.

On April 9, National Geographic Channel will air "Save the Titanic With Bob Ballard," in which Ballard, the man who discovered the Titanic's final resting place in 1985, travels to Ireland to meet some of the men who helped build the ship and discusses how the ship's remains are in danger from looters, among other threats.

"If the Titanic is not protected and there's no guard on duty, it will get stripped," Ballard said in a statement. "It'll get stripped until all the jewels have been taken off the old lady's body."

National Geographic magazine will devote a cover story to the Titanic anniversary; Cameron's 1997 "Titanic" film, which won 11 Oscars, will be re-released on April 4, including IMAX 3D showings.