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Cameron on Avatar Sequels
James Cameron talks 3-story arc for Avatar sequels. By
Jarrod Sarafin
June 22, 2011
Source: Fox News
On the set of AVATAR, writer-director James Cameron (front, center) reviews a scene with actors (from left) Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore and Sam Worthington.
© Mark Fellman/Fox
James Cameron has once again confirmed that the next two Avatar films will be shot in back-to-back style. While being honored for his philanthropic work in helping homeless kids across the globe, Fox News caught up with the helmer to discuss the current status of his plans to return to Pandora. For his part, the director said that he's currently scripting out the two sequels to fulfill a 3-film story arc on a certain character. He did make sure not to call it a trilogy, leaving the door open for more adventures after parts 2 and 3.
"We're shooting two films back-to-back, so I'm writing two scripts, not one, which will complete a [three]-film story arc – not really a trilogy, but just an overall character arc so I'm pretty excited about that," he said. "We're doing a lot of preliminary work right now on new software and new animation techniques and so on. We're creating a new facility in Manhattan Beach so everybody that's not already dead is coming back."
With the sequel reportedly dealing largely around Cameron's beloved ocean settings (of Pandora), the director, his production company and 20th Century Fox signed a lease for studio and office space at MBS Media Campus in Manhattan Beach and will use the facility for the motion capture photography and high-tech production.
He also discussed the pressure that comes with trying to follow-up on a film which became the highest-grossing release of all-time.
"There's always an expectation. I had to deal with that after 'The Terminator' back in 1984. All of a sudden I had a big hit movie and it was 'what are you doing next?' But my job is take the audience on a journey and entertain them," he added. "The second I am sitting down writing, I just go to Pandora. I don't think about that stuff, about standing on a red carpet. It has its own life, really. The characters have their own lives."
Avatar 2 is scheduled for theaters December 2014.
Avatar 3 is scheduled for theaters December 2015.
James Cameron may not consider it a trilogy, but I can almost guarantee that it's going to be billed as one, especially when the third film hits DVD and Blu-ray (well, if DVD is even still around by the time the third film hits store shelves in 2016). I can see it now: "Bring the epic saga home. Own the trilogy today!"