There have been many huge box office hits over the last few years, including the juggernaut that was ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, but no film has managed topple the all-time box office champ 2009’s ‘Avatar’. James Cameron’s CGI bonanza still reigns supreme, having taken in $2.788 billion worldwide, including the grosses from an extended re-release in 2010. A sequel seemed to be a given, but surprisingly one has yet to materialize. Instead, the visionary director has focused on documentaries, all while promising not just a second journey to Pandora, but a third, fourth and fifth. But… they’re still not here.
Nevertheless, Cameron is still churning away and offered an update:
The thing is, my focus isn’t on Avatar 2. My focus is on Avatar 2, 3, 4, and 5 equally. That’s exactly how I’m approaching it. They’ve all been developed equally. I’ve just finished the script to Avatar 5. I’m now starting the process of active prep. I’ll be working with the actors in the capture volume in August, so I’m booked in production every day between now and then. Our volume is up and running, and everything is designed, and so we’re going full-guns right now. I feel like I’ve been let out of jail, because I’ve been in the writing cave for the last two years. I’m actually enjoying life. I don’t enjoy writing. I wouldn’t wish writing on a dog.
Errr… not to sound overly negative but it kinda shows. Though ‘Avatar’ was a visual marvel, many poo-pooed the trite script with critics pointing out its similarity to animated family movies ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘Fern Gully’. Maybe a dog could have come up with something more original.
Well, whatever Cameron has cooked up for the four sequels, the big news is that Cameron plans to start filming the motion capture portion(s) in August.
While nothing else is known, it is believed that Sigourney Weaver, Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana and Stephen Lang are expected to return for at least one sequel. The second movie was expected to arrive for Christmas 2018, but considering the extensive post-production required and the late 2017 start date would seemingly rule that out.
What would you like to see in the next ‘Avatar’? What about the one after that? Or the one after that? Or the one after that? Are there enough stories in Pandora to fill this many films?
Source: The Daily Beast
