James Cameron says he can't 'wiggle out' of making more Avatar sequels after box office success
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Well, it looks like James Cameron has to go through with his promise to make all those other Avatar movies.
In a new interview with CNN anchor Chris Wallace for Who's Asking Chris Wallace?, the director says Avatar: The Way of Water is doing so well at the box office that it appears the future of the franchise is set, despite shedding some realistic doubt in the past.
"It looks like, just with the momentum that the film has now, that we'll easily pass our breakeven in the next few days, actually," Cameron tells Wallace in an interview that's available now on HBO Max and debuting Sunday on CNN. "So, it looks like I can't wiggle out of this. I'm gonna have to do these other sequels."
"I'm sure that we'll have a discussion soon with the top folks at Disney about the game plan going forward for Avatar 3, which is already in the can," he continues. "We've already captured and photographed the whole film. And then Avatar 4 and 5 are both written. We even have some of 4 in the can. So, I think we can see that, I think, we've begun a franchise at this point."
20th Century Studios The Na'vi meet the Metkayina water tribe in 'Avatar: The Way of Water.'
Disney had previously set four sequels to 2009's Avatar, including this year's Avatar: The Way of Water, for releases in theaters every two years until 2028. Cameron previously confirmed to EW that he shot The Way of Water, the third film, and the first act of the fourth film simultaneously. Sometimes they would shoot scenes from multiple films on the same day. However, during the press tour for Avatar 2, Cameron said the future of the later sequels was dependent on the success of The Way of Water in theaters.
"The market could be telling us we're done in three months, or we might be semi-done, meaning: 'OK, let's complete the story within movie 3, and not go on endlessly,' if it's just not profitable," he told Total Film. "We're in a different world now than we were when I wrote this stuff, even," he added. "It's the one-two punch — the pandemic and streaming. Or, conversely, maybe we'll remind people what going to the theater is all about. This film definitely does that. The question is: how many people give a s--- now?"
Audiences definitely give a s---. One day after breaking into the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time worldwide, Avatar: The Way of Water became the ninth highest-grossing film, surpassing 2012's The Avengers with a total of more than $1.546 billion.
Wallace also asks Cameron how he would've felt unable to finish his entire story plan for Avatar.
"Not so bad," the filmmaker replies. "I mean, look, I understand this business, and I understand the vagaries of it and the variables. And you know the old expression, man proposes, God disposes. You never quite know what's going to happen. I also believe in planning for the upside, not just making a movie herky-jerky and then waiting to see what happens, but plan for the upside and then accept that if it doesn't work."
Avatar 3 is currently scheduled to open in theaters on Dec. 20, 2024, with Avatar 4 coming on Dec. 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 coming on Dec. 22, 2028.
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