James Cameron recently opened up about his future work, and how he might move onto other projects next instead of the final two Avatar sequels, which might be a strong move. James Cameron’s movies have delivered fantastic box office results, but they have also tended to be critical hits as well, with Titanic even winning Best Picture at the Oscars.
While Avatar 4 has not yet entered production, Cameron has stated for years that he intends to make five Avatar movies. The scripts for each installment have already been written, with Avatar 4 said to change the franchise significantly. There has been much speculation on what this could mean, but many seeds for the series’ future have already been planted.
Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water are among the biggest movies of all time, but the box office for Avatar: Fire and Ash saw a massive drop-off. It earned $1.49 billion, a stunning result for most movies, and certainly profitable. Still, compared to The Way of Water’s $2.32 billion, the franchise’s future trajectory has become questionable.
Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 will almost certainly be made at some point; however, James Cameron has opened up about the possibility of doing something else for his next project. This would be the right thing for the Terminator 2: Judgment Day director, and the reasoning behind that is clear.
James Cameron Hasn’t Made A Non-Avatar Movie Since Titanic
Since Titanic was released 29 years ago, James Cameron has not made any narrative films outside of the Avatar franchise. After the first film was released in 2009, he devoted himself to developing new technology for the series, with the breathtaking spectacle of The Way of Water finally releasing in 2022.
Financially, this has been a strong choice, considering the box office results of those films. However, it is disappointing to see one of Hollywood’s best creatives not offering more work. The first film remains the highest-grossing movie of all time, earning more than $2.9 billion, and The Way of Water is not far behind.
Granted, Avatar is not the only thing Cameron has made during this period. In addition to directing the documentary Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), he has worked as a producer and writer on both Terminator: Dark Fate and Alita: Battle Angel. He has also worked as an executive producer on various other documentaries.
When Titanic became a huge commercial and critical darling in 1997, it made sense that Cameron could do whatever he wanted. However, it is worth contending with the fact that his career trajectory has been surprisingly limited. With Avatar 4 already dated for 2029, it looks like Avatar may still be his future.
James Cameron Is Too Great To Only Make Avatar Movies
With a filmography that includes the horror of The Terminator, the unbridled science fiction energy of Aliens, the haunting creativity of The Abyss, and the fantastic action comedy of True Lies, Cameron has proven himself to have great versatility. He is a fantastic illustrator with a strong sense for imagery that has transferred effectively to his various projects.
Speaking with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, Cameron has suggested that he might do something else for his next film. This follows what seems to be a change in outlook for the filmmaker, who previously outlined a plan for if Fire and Ash flopped, where he could tie up the remaining plot threads in a book.
Fire and Ash did not flop, but it was not the enormous hit that its predecessors were. The combination of these interviews makes it clear that Cameron is likely ready to move onto something else. If this is the case, it would make the most sense for him to do something entirely different.
It is notable that his energies have tended toward creative science fiction, and seeing his various visions play out has been thrilling. Whether he moved back to Terminator with a new installment, or made another historical drama with his planned adaptation Ghosts of Hiroshima, there are many other projects he could work on.
Seeing Cameron adapt a grimdark fantasy like Joe Abercrombie’s The Devils, however, might be the most exciting possibility that the director has teased. Cameron has proven himself to be driven by a challenge, as seen in his pioneering technology for several of his films, and doing something new, whether in fantasy or another genre, would be incredibly exciting.
James Cameron’s Avatar Sequels Would Still Be Great
The good news is that, either way, audiences win. It would be fantastic to see Cameron flex his creative muscles and do something entirely new. However, his Avatar sequels have each felt new and exciting in their own ways, and future installments in the series would also be thrilling.
Cameron moved into the oceans of Pandora with The Way of Water, and explored the fiery Mangkwan clan in Fire and Ash. A fourth film is likely to continue that trajectory with exploration of other biomes, which could make for countless more exciting visual journeys for audiences.
There are still threads to tie up in the series. The ending of Fire and Ash saw Quaritch falling, presumably to his death, but his ending did not feel final. Varang is also now a new threat who did not meet her end during the last film’s conclusion.
While Cameron did mention the possibility of tying everything in a novel, the franchise is simply too cinematic to be kept from the big screen.
If Cameron does not return to the franchise, there are other filmmakers who could take his place. James Wan has expressed a desire to direct an Avatar movie, and there are certainly other directors who are less costly than Cameron who would also relish the opportunity to work within this colorful and exciting world.
There are still concerns to be settled in the series, and whether Cameron or someone else tackles them, the rest of the Avatar story will likely be told. Ideally, Cameron would make more Avatar films as well as other original ones, but there is only so much time in this life. Whatever he does next will be worth seeing.
- Latest Film
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Avatar: The Way of Water
- Upcoming Films
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Avatar: Fire and Ash, Avatar 4, Avatar 5
