Cameron Frames 'Avatar 3' as Direct Continuation, Says Future Sequels Hinge on Its Box Office

Overview

• The director says he split what began as one sweeping story into two films after concluding there was too much material for a single movie.
• Avatar: Fogo e Cinzas opened in Brazilian cinemas on December 18 as a direct extension of The Way of Water, with its momentum centered on ongoing character arcs.
• Estimated costs of roughly $400 million for production plus about $150 million for marketing set a high threshold for profitability.
• Cameron confirms scripts for Avatar 4 and 5 are written and says their production depends on the third film’s commercial performance, even as Disney has announced tentative dates.
• He notes that some scenes for Avatar 4 were already filmed to accommodate a planned time jump, and that performance-capture work for the second and third films spanned about 18 months.