James Cameron is well an truly immersed in what will be our return to the world of Pandora. 'Avatar 2' is set to hit UK cinemas on 18th December 2020, when we'll reacquaint ourselves with characters Jake and Neytiri. The second instalment to the 'Avatar' saga will be the first of four sequels that the filmmaker is working on. Four sequels is a big enough task in itself, but given that 'Avatar' is the highest grossing film of all time, the difficulty is increased ten-fold.
Even now, the four instalments have been dubbed the most expensive in the world for their rumoured budget of $100 billion. Speaking to IGN, the director expressed his concerns, "Of course, we can't afford for it not to work, the budget level that we are dealing with". He continued that, "of course, you always have to give yourself permission as an artist to fail no matter what the stakes are. You've got to try stuff. The least safe thing you can do is try to be safe." Despite his initial concerns, it appears as though Cameron has it all under control, "I think that the lesson for me from the first film that I've applied to the new films is that the more fantastic the imagery, the more otherworldly and the more you are pushing out to the edge of what's possible in terms of bringing imaginative imagery to the screen, the more it has to be grounded in relationship and in truth and in heart".
For James Cameron, the characters remain at the centre of the saga: "It doesn't matter how much you dress it up with great production design and great visual effects. If the story is not working, if you don't connect to the characters, it's just simply not going to work". Thankfully the director has "an incredible cast", and he added that he's "always very cognizant of the casting". Cameron has "worked very hard to cast this, to find some new, young actors coming up that have incredible heart and that are just amazing."
What plans does Disney have for Pandora?
If everything goes well, the final film in the saga will premiere sometime during 2025. But, by the time that year rolls around, the deal between Fox and Disney will be well and truly done, meaning 'Avatar' will fall into the hands of Mickey Mouse. What does Cameron think of this, you ask? The director sat down with Vanity Fair to whom he revealed the deal probably won't mean much, though "if they sold to Disney that wouldn't be bad because Disney actually at this point in time has a bigger investment in 'Avatar' than Fox does in terms of spent money".
Catch 'Avatar 2' in December 2018.
