James Cameron wants to make next two ‘Avatar’ films “in half the time for two thirds of the cost”

James Cameron has said he wants to make the next two Avatar films “in half the time for two thirds of the cost”.

The director made movie history with 2009’s Avatar, set on an alien world where indigenous beings, The Na’vi, rise up against the humans invading their land for resources. The film remains the highest grossing movie of all time at over $2.9billion (£2.1billion), while 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way Of Water sits at third with $2.3billion (£1.7billion).

Last year’s Avatar: Fire And Ash was less wildly successful, but still performed well, grossing approximately $1.49billion (£1.1billion).

Cameron has always indicated that he plans to make a total of five Avatar films, but there have been doubts that the final two instalments would go ahead, given the declining box office receipts.

In a new interview on The Empire Film Podcast, in which he was promoting his new Billie Eilish tour documentary Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour (Live In 3D), he said the final two films were “still floating out there”, but he indicated that if they are to come to fruition, he might need to change his procedure.

“We’re gonna be looking at some new technologies to try and do them more efficiently, because they’re hideously expensive and take a long time,” he said. “I want to do them in half the time for two thirds of the cost, that’s my metric. And so, it’s going to take us a year or so to figure out how to do that. And in the meantime, I’ll be writing and probably be doing a couple of other things.”

In December, Cameron said that if the films do not end up being made, he will hold a press conference to reveal what the plots would have been. “I don’t know if the saga goes beyond this point. I hope it does,” he said.

In a three-star review of Fire And Ash, NME wrote: “But, to return to the theme-park analogy, the queues are ultimately worth it for the rides you get. From a stunning early skirmish involving airships, to a huge climactic showdown that is no less thrilling for taking place in the same location and involving largely the same participants as The Way Of Water’s final battle.”

“Cameron orchestrates these set-pieces to a next-level standard. The clarity, dynamism and sheer scale of the action is near enough unparalleled, and it’s hard to argue you don’t get your money’s worth. Still, Cameron is going to have to think outside the (Pandora’s) box and change the game for any future instalments.”

Earlier this month, Cameron was sued by an indigenous actor who claimed that her image was used without her consent as the basis for the character of Neytiri in the films.

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