Critically-acclaimed producer, writer, and director James Cameron has came out recently to say that the three upcoming sequels of “Avatar,” the most successful movie of all time, can actually stand alone on their own.
Considering that the three films are sequels, it is hard to fathom what Cameron meant when he said that “Avatar 2,” “Avatar 3,” and “Avatar 4” can stand on their own. But he did add that there would be a much bigger story that would link all the movies including the first.
Critics actually cited what Cameron meant as meta-narrative, which means that while each film will have their own plotline and narrative, they will have a much bigger story in the background that shall link them all together as one, notes the Christian Post.
Pre-production work completed
Cameron also announced that the pre-production work, particularly the technical requirements for the three sequels, has already been completed.
He said that the computer-generated graphics involving the characters and the Pandora environment is now ready, cites Movie News Guide.
He also hinted that “Avatar 2” will introduce new worlds within Pandora, and even new alien species will be seen.
The director said that they have also finished the creatures and the landscapes, and the new worlds within the world of Pandora.
While the script for the three sequels has yet to be completed, Cameron assures that it is almost done and filming and production for all the three movies would begin in a few months time.
“Avatar 2” is set to premiere on global theaters on December 25, 2017, so filming has to start within the year, especially with Cameron’s pronouncements that all three films will be shot and completed in one major production.
Setting high expectations
James Cameron also admits that “Avatar 2” and the two other films in the tetralogy have set very high fan expectations that the film must deliver big time.
In a phone interview recently, Cameron said that the pressure is quite high on “Avatar 2” because it has to perform well at the box-office to make sure that the original film will not be regarded as just some big fluke.
“Avatar” is the world’s most successful film in history with $2.7 billion in box-office earnings worldwide. It has held the top spot since the film was released in 2009.
Cameron also said that he considers “Avatar” as a nice rod that will hit his back if he and his production team do not deliver big time on “Avatar 2.”
He also admits that it is a big challenge for himself but he is taking it on a positive note. Rather than being pressured by fans, he is the one putting a bigger pressure on himself and his production team for “Avatar 2.”
Cameron said that the design process in the pre-production is very mature because the production team has been at it for about a year and a half already. He added that all the characters, settings, and creatures are pretty much set.
This means that filming shall begin as scheduled early this year so that the film will be right on target for its December 2017 release date. Filming will not just be for “Avatar 2” but will be continuous for the next two films.
“Avatar 3” will come out on December 2018 while “Avatar 4” will hit theaters in December 2019.
Another pressure on Cameron for “Avatar 2” is the fact that the first film was not only successful in the box office, it also garnered nine Oscar nominations.
“Avatar 2” must not only be a commercial success but critically-acclaimed too, an attribute which most of James Cameron films possess anyway.
Cameron also said that he and his production team have been working over the past few years to get all the necessary ducks in a row.