While some fans and critics were looking at it from a negative perspective, the push back in the release date of “Avatar 2” from December 2017 to December 2018 actually gives Director James Cameron sufficient time to nurture into perfection the sequel to the most successful movie of all time.
With more than two years to work on the sequel, Cameron would surely take his sweet time to make sure that he raises the standard of “Avatar 2,” details Movie News Guide.
In a previous interview, the critically-acclaimed director, writer, and producer said that he wants to come up with a truly massive cinematic process with “Avatar 2” and the subsequent three other sequels.
There were supposed to be only three sequels to “Avatar” but Cameron found it to be limiting and he felt that he needed another one to tell the complete story so it shall go all the way to “Avatar 5.”
Looking forward to Pandora
The announcement of the four sequels to “Avatar” was made by 20th Century Fox in April during the CinemaCon event held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cameron was also at the event and he told journalists then that he wants to see them all in Pandora, which is the world of the Avatars for “Avatar 2” due to hit theaters in December 2018. Meanwhile, “Avatar 3” will be shown in December 2020, “Avatar 4” in December 2022, and “Avatar 5” in December 2013, details Polygon.
The director previously said that he was waiting for technology to catch up to his concepts for the “Avatar” sequels but it looks like things are underway now as pre-production for the movie is already on its penultimate phase and filming would begin soon thereafter.
Cameron also promised that they are going to continue to make the industry the greatest show on earth because that is what they are meant to do in the first place.
The reason for the push back
The decision to push back the release date of “Avatar 2” was apparently an offshoot of the plan of Disney and Lucasfilms to move the showing of its “Star Wars” films from the Memorial Day weekend in May to December starting with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in December of last year.
The movie has gone on to become the third highest grossing film of all time next only to “Avatar” and “Titanic,” both by James Cameron.
A “Star Wars” spinoff movie will be aired this coming December entitled “Star Wars: Rogue One” before “Star Wars: Episode 8” will be aired in December next year.
Had “Avatar 2” stick to its plan of releasing also in December next year, the two blockbuster movies will certainly clash at the box office and regardless of whoever wins, the results of the other already had a telling impact on the other as far as the race to make it to the list of highest-grossing movie of all time is concerned.
Last year, the reports were saying that the critically-acclaimed producer and director was having trouble reducing the script to fit into three movies.
Apparently, he has changed his mind. Instead of working to reduce the script, Cameron decided to add another film to the franchise, thus, there is also going to be an “Avatar 5.”
Cameron also explained that based on the kind of artwork he is seeing, it is all based on pure imagination and really far beyond the first film so much so that he promised that “Avatar 2” and the three other sequels will be an epic saga.
As it is, the initial plan of 20th Century Fox is to release “Avatar 2” during Christmas of 2018, but if a “Star Wars” movie will be airing on the same date, it is possible that a push-back may again be in the offing.