Filmmaker James Cameron was a surprise attendee at Fox's CinemaCon, which ended in Las Vegas on Thursday. Fans, however, has more surprises in store for them and they were literally bowled over when Cameron announced that instead of the previously planned three films, now there would be four "Avatar" sequels.
"We have decided to embark of a truly massive cinematic process," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Cameron as saying. According to the filmmaker, earlier he had planned three "Avatar" sequels, but he found it to be restrictive.
Explaining the need for four sequels, Cameron said that they have started experiencing problems by these limitations for their art form and, hence, he decided that they would require an additional installment to narrate the entire story. Each of these sequels would, however, be standalone films, he added.
Cameron maintained that though the sequels would be standalone films, they would also work in conjunction for the narrative. The acclaimed filmmaker further said that he is making all efforts to release "Avatar 2" by Christmas 2018. While the projected release date of the first sequel is already two years away from its original drop date, Cameron informed that the last three films in the "Avatar" series would be released in 2020, 2022 and 2023 respectively, Rolling Stones reported.
Elaborating further, Cameron said that for the last few years he has working with a team of four renowned screenwriters to plan Avatar's universe and take the story forward. According to him, the team has been working on the characters, creatures, environment as well as the new cultures of the saga. "So far, the art I'm seeing is, in pure imagination, really far beyond the first film," Cameron said, adding, it will surely be a genuine epic saga.
It is worth mentioning here that the original movie released in 2009 earned $2.8 billion from worldwide box office collections. Moreover, "Avatar" held the previous record for the top domestic grossing film ever earning a whopping $760.5 million during its run in the theaters. However, later, its record was shattered by "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which earned $760.6 million nationally.
Watch the trailer of "Avatar" below: