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James Cameron Will Officially Be Directing Avatar 2 and 3 Next
by Alex Billington
October 27, 2010
Source: Deadline
More very big news today to report on. An official press release from Fox and Lightstorm (via Deadline) has announced/confirmed that James Cameron has agreed to make Avatar 2 and 3 as his next films. He was apparently considering directing that Cleopatra movie with Angelina Jolie at Sony, but Deadline says "Fox made a 'huge' donation to his environmental green fund, and in return he committed to making the Avatar sequel… That also caused him to withdraw from Sony Pictures' Cleopatra." Fox is targeting December 2014 and 2015 release dates for the two back-to-back sequels, but hasn't set anything in stone. Ready to go back?
Here's James Cameron's rather beefy official statement that touches on improving the story in these sequels:
"It is a rare and remarkable opportunity when a filmmaker gets to build a fantasy world, and watch it grow, with the resources and partnership of a global media company. AVATAR was conceived as an epic work of fantasy – a world that audiences could visit, across all media platforms, and this moment marks the launch of the next phase of that world. With two new films on the drawing boards, my company and I are embarking on an epic journey with our partners at Twentieth Century Fox. Our goal is to meet and exceed the global audience's expectations for the richness of AVATAR's visual world and the power of the storytelling. In the second and third films, which will be self contained stories that also fulfill a greater story arc, we will not back off the throttle of AVATAR’s visual and emotional horsepower, and will continue to explore its themes and characters, which touched the hearts of audiences in all cultures around the world. I'm looking forward to returning to Pandora, a world where our imaginations can run wild."
Cameron, who had always viewed Avatar as the creation of a new world and mythology, will begin work on the scripts early next year with an eye towards commencing production later in 2011. Cameron will decide if he will shoot the films back-to-back after he completes the script, despite Fox setting 2014 and 2015 release dates (which would mean he has to shoot them back-to-back if they keep those dates). "With the first movie, Jim only scratched the surface of the stories he wants to tell and the creatures and world he wants to create. Now we will continue his vision," producer Jon Landau said. We can also certainly assume that most of the original cast, including Sam Worthington as Jake Sully and Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, will be returning.
In updates earlier this year, Cameron revealed that Avatar 2 will be going into the oceans of Pandora, and eventually expanding to other moons in the solar system. "Part of my focus in the second film is in creating a different environment – a different setting within Pandora. And I'm going to be focusing on the ocean on Pandora, which will be equally rich and diverse and crazy and imaginative, but it just won't be a rain forest," he said. "We expand out across [the Alpha Centauri AB] system and incorporate more into the story – not necessarily in the second film, but more toward a third film." I watched Avatar again at its 3D re-release in the summer and you know what, I'm excited for a sequel, I have faith in James Cameron, I say bring it on!
47 Comments
1
Zzzzzzzzzzz...
SuicidalOptimist on Oct 27, 2010
2
Awesome news .Finally I don't have to wait another five years for a James Cameron movie.
joe_6285 on Oct 27, 2010
3
Yes, more blue movies!!!
Big Boss on Oct 27, 2010
5
Why would you bother to read this then? Put your passive aggressive comments elsewhere, asshole.
Lol on May 1, 2011
6
i agree lol. and everyone else who is doing the same thing as Adam, please do this on your personal blog and not somewhere where people who actually like the movie have to see you lame comments...
oreo777 on Jan 22, 2012
7
@2 But it will be 5 years between the first and second....... And I don't really care about these movies. I mean, go ahead and make them, people are entertained by them, but DON'T nominate them for a bunch of awards they don't even come close to deserving. I guess I'll be sick of hearing people declare this to be the best movie ever, too.
Chazzy on Oct 27, 2010
8
Boring !!!
Kevin on Oct 27, 2010
10
Great! Smurfs in Space - Part 2
Mother Goose on Oct 27, 2010
11
what the fuck about "Battle Angel Alita"???? we have to watch after 12 years... Im sure Fucking FOX forced Cameron for earn more money from AVATAR 2-3-4-5-6-7 ... . this is the fucking way that D.Fincher is going.quashing fans! fuck F0x.
Bob on Oct 27, 2010
13
So we get more amazing visual effects with more lackluster story. yes, lackluster. Talk about predictable! Seems funny though, doesn't it. Cameron, who seemed to espouse an anti corporate, anti military(mercenary) agenda in this film(one that's made even more than Titanic, another of his films) will be paid millions(probably tens of millions) to direct these movies which might not do as well. In fact, likely will not do as well. Since it's not like he actually NEEDS the money, I'd say he's a little bit mercenary him self. And definitely corporate! At worst, we can count on awesome visuals and a softish story. The article pretty much contradicts itself as well. In the first paragraph it's said that the original cast is certainly to return. But the second paragraph quotes Cameron as saying his intent to create a different environment/setting within Pandora itself and that star system. I'm doubt that the original cast will play more than a supporting role in the subsequent movies. A grounding point from which to take off with a mention somewhere else very late in the movie just so you don't forget where you are, relatively speaking.
stupak stu on Oct 27, 2010
14
Makes no sense
Kkcblazer12 on Nov 12, 2011
15
#5 100% agree
Philip J. Fry on Oct 27, 2010
16
stand alone stories 4 & 5yrs away?... You cant rush visual greatness, i know, but I'm going to forget about this I can promise you.
Solo Calrissian on Oct 27, 2010
17
I have to admit I was hoping he would move on to Battle Angel first but am still glad he is committing to Avatar 2 and 3 before some ho-hum Cleopatra movie ......if anything, his decision to make more Avatar movies pisses off the know-it-all jaded loser fanboys....which makes it worth it....ha ha, suck it fanboys.....but at least you can regurgitate your lame Ferngully/Dances with Smurfs jokes for another four years. I swear, for all your accusations of James Cameron stealing ideas you sure like to barf out the same old jokes.
bishop on Oct 27, 2010
18
pass
Tomi on Oct 27, 2010
19
whine whine whine, winge winge winge. my god, movie fanboys are such a bunch of pussies.
Ben on Oct 27, 2010
20
I'm out.
Xerxex on Oct 27, 2010
21
avatar 2 and 3?..........yaaaaaaaaawn. who cares - about the movie OR cameron.
beavis on Oct 27, 2010
22
apparently the 10's of millions of people who watched avatar and loved it as well as the 10's of millions of people who watched titanic as well as the 10's of millions of people who watched his other movies like cameron lol. think before you speak..
oreo777 on Jan 22, 2012
23
After Avatar, I'm surprisingly fine that Cameron isn't doing Battle Angel Alita. May he forever find something else to distract him from getting round to crapping all over it.
Chris on Oct 27, 2010
24
I can't wait! See Cameron fans that claim to be, just want his films from the days when Hollywood only made nihilism films, thank God that time has passed!
John on Oct 27, 2010
25
@ Ben um...its a movie website, opinions are allowed, both negative and positive.
Xerxex on Oct 27, 2010
26
James Cameron is so full of himself. "AVATAR’s visual and emotional horsepower" "touched the hearts of audiences in all cultures around the world." "a world where our imaginations can run wild." Way to congratulate yourself, smug asshole.
Al on Oct 27, 2010
27
Way to be an asshole because you didn't think of it. 🙂 and you know what Cameron has every right to say that, he has more imagination and talent then you have in your entire brain, if you have any that is.
papasmurfvegeta on Nov 28, 2011
28
@ 5 : 2014 = 5 years from 2010..? WTB (want to buy for the non-gamers) more math in the school system. Not to mention it's October. 4 years 2 months if they hit the December 2014 release. @ Topic : I'm game. Might not be the most amazing movie (story wise) of all time that everybody (this is a generic statement to include EVERYBODY except YOU, the person that will complain about being put into a group) seems to think it was, but it was entertaining and I loved the world he imagined. As an artist and a world builder I can only appreciate the amount of work that went into the back story of Pandora. @ 11 : The story won't be there without the cast of the first movie. Plain and simple. The ocean related (avatar 2) plot will be (my guess) a conflict between the Na'vi and an ocean dwelling race they haven't encountered before (it's a big fucking planet if the Na'vi can communicate with animals, something else can breathe under water, ask Jar Jar.) The space related (avatar 3) plot will be a (again, my guess) conflict between the Na'vi and earth as humans find another source of the mineral Unobtainium within' the system. (yup, there are still space ships on Pandora, $10 is my bet) * Everything in my post is speculation and more then likely completely incorrect. (yes I like parentheses) *
Hedgehog on Oct 27, 2010
29
2 and 3? i guess im in
harrison on Oct 27, 2010
30
LOL, see literally every single one of you in theaters when it comes out in 2014.
Remy on Oct 27, 2010
31
@Xerxex. You're right positive and negative opinions are allowed, even if they are about people like you.
Alex T. on Oct 27, 2010
32
@ 23. Are you stoned? I didn't say it was 5 years from now till the next movie. It's 5 years from the first one to the release of the 2nd. WTB some more reading in the school system. Douchebag.
Chazzy on Oct 27, 2010
33
Wadda ya mean Alex T?
Xerxex on Oct 27, 2010
34
Well I think Cameron knows he has to not only top what Avatar did financially and visually, but he knows there's a bigger fantasy franchise that's on the horizon called" Empires of the Deep", and it looks alot better than Avatar!
jah p on Oct 27, 2010
35
So George Luca...I mean James Cameron is sticking to his super film...I'm shocked really I am!
Jimmy Love on Oct 28, 2010
36
ZzZzZzZzZzZ
Yekim on Oct 28, 2010
37
I am glad that he is making another one and even 2 more at least we have the chance to get off this stupid planet with are imagineations,why not the hope we have,is maybe to learn from these movies,and stand up for what is right in the world,listen you probably do not like this but get your heads out of the goverment ass hole that it is in and stand up for your self before you to have to take up arms and fight for what is yours not the govermants or the rich and famous fuck them,they say who ever has the gold rules well they may have the gold but there is still more of us to take it back
dodge198676 on Nov 1, 2010
38
I love it! Mainly 'cause some older lady...by older I mean 30s told me that she rented Avatar and even referred to it as a modern Fern Gully! roflmao!
tra la la la la di da on Nov 2, 2010
39
---DON'T spend a single second more on the LONG RICH, aging FAST Cameron's product until you check out the eugenics and RED China 'friendly' pre-programming behind franchise slum Hollywood. Even putting aside the FACT that the industry's been burying the RC legacy of exterminating 85 MILLION people in 'peacetime' ---consider this: BOTH the 20th Anniversary of the Tiennamen Massacre and the stunningly relevant 60th Anniversary of the KOREAN WAR were, again, 'mysteriously overlooked'...
eber hart on Dec 28, 2010
40
Ok, Avatar is a good fucking movie (especially when your high:). whenever i watch a movie, i actually get into it, in other words i "believe i am right there and its really happening right now", as if the movie is real. but its hard to do that when i have all you whiny ass bitches saying "well now if he directed it this way..." or "he should have put a different actor in instead of him." or "this movie made way more money than terminator 3 and 4 combined!". And all you 5 year old spit-fucks that use stuff like rotflmao and shit like that, you are ALL FUCKING ANNOYING. And if you say you did not like the movie and say it should not have gotten all those awards, then why in the whole FUCKING UNIVERSE ARE YOU EVEN HERE!!!!
vastili zeitzef on Jan 1, 2011
41
If he dont put them back to back, will number 2 be released in 2011, if so, when abouts. I love Avatar.
Sc8r. on Jan 28, 2011
42
i love how people are hating something thats never going to affect their lives. Avatar is an amazing movie! don't be jealous that you didnt come up with it! if you don't like it, don't pay attention to it! Haters, get over yourselves!
Rose on Feb 1, 2011
43
I am thrilled to see these two movies. Usually the sequal is never as good as the first one, but let's see. And if you people don't care about the movie, why the hell are you reading about it? Get a life!!! At least some people are reading about the sequals because they are genuinly interested!
Jengochko on Oct 5, 2011
44
I on the other hand can't wait for the movies, and all you stupid and ignorant people can shut your damn faces, if you don't have anything positive to say then STOP READING ABOUT IT. Obviously your intrested in it because you LOOKED IT UP. stfu and get a life okay? These movies are Not movies, there art and a masterpiece. Can't rush perfection, especially a project that DOES take 5 years because of technology, so shut up okay? your not the ones know have to create this complicated work.
Fsttitles4u on Nov 28, 2011
46
Love avatar enough said. Good for any age, young old, and its stimulating to think of another world, and Marines (even if the biggest baddest one is a villian) kicking asses and taking names, after all that's why we watch movies like jarhead etc. So its a little tree hugging, fine okay. If you can get past the mind set of today, and take the story at what it is... We know trees don't control animals or hold gods, but that is the story.... I bet if they truly did wed all be just as big of tree huggers lol. Newsflash... That's the point of movies. They're fake. They take us into another world be it a scary one, adventure, funny or whatever.
all in good fun on Jan 20, 2012
47
All of you who are complaining about how "this movie is gna suck, wah wah wah wah, we ALL know ur gna be there in the theaters when its released. so shut up n stop tryin to get ur 15 minutes of fame just cuz u wanna look cool by dissing a good movie. jesus christ
Alik on Jan 29, 2012
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