AI isn’t going away anytime soon, but it still remains to be seen how it will be used as a tool in filmmaking. While speaking on the Boz to the Future podcast, Avatar director James Cameron pondered the future of AI and whether it could be used to cut the budgets of blockbusters in half.

Cameron, who joined the board of Stability AI last year, said, “In the old days, I would have founded a company to figure it out. I’ve learned maybe that’s not the best way to do it. So I thought, all right, I’ll join the board of a good, competitive company that’s got a good track record. My goal was not necessarily make a shit pile of money. The goal was to understand the space, to understand what’s on the minds of the developers. What are they targeting? What’s their development cycle? How much resources you have to throw at it to create a new model that does a purpose built thing, and my goal was to try to integrate it into a VFX workflow.“

Cameron continued, “And it’s not just hypothetical, if we want to continue to see the kinds of movies that I’ve always loved and that I like to make and that I will go to see — Call it Dune, Dune Two something like that, or one of my films, or big effects-heavy, CG-heavy films — we’ve got to figure out how to cut the cost of that in half. Now that’s not about laying off half the staff and at the effects company. That’s about doubling their speed to completion on a given shot, so your cadence is faster and your throughput cycle is faster, and artists get to move on and do other cool things and then other cool things, right? That’s my sort of vision for that.“

Regarding the ethics and copyright aspects of AI, Cameron thinks studios, tech companies, and legislators should focus on the output, not the input. “A lot of the a lot of the hesitation in Hollywood and entertainment in general, are issues of the source material for the training data, and who deserves what, and copyright protection and all that sort of thing. I think people are looking at it all wrong,” Cameron explained. “I’m an artist. Anybody that’s an artist, anybody that’s a human being, is a model. You’re a model already, you’ve got a three and a half pound meat computer.“

“We’re models moving through space and time and reacting based on on the our training data,” Cameron continued. “So my point is, as a screenwriter, as a filmmaker, if I exactly copy Star Wars, I’ll get sued. Actually, I won’t even get that far. Everybody’ll say, ‘hey, it’s too much like Star Wars, we’re going to get sued now.’ I won’t even get the money. And as a screenwriter, you have a kind of built in ethical filter that says, ‘I know my sources, I know what I liked, I know what I’m emulating.’ I also know that I have to move it far enough away that it’s my own independent creation. So I think the whole thing needs to be managed from a legal perspective, as to what’s the output, not what’s the input. You can’t control my input, you can’t tell me what to view and what to see and where to go. My input is whatever I choose it to be, and whatever has accumulated throughout my life. My output, every script I write, should be judged on whether it’s too close, too plagiaristic, whatever.“

James Cameron’s next film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, will hit theaters on December 19th. It will reportedly include a title card saying that no generative AI was used in the making of the film.

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Prior to the release of Avatar: The Way of Water, I doubted that audiences were really all that excited about a return to Pandora. But with a worldwide box office take of $2.3 billion, I should have known never to doubt James Cameron. Speaking of the director, he sent a video to CinemaCon from New Zealand to introduce Zoe Saldaña and a few clips from Avatar: Fire and Ash.

“So sorry I can’t be there, but I’m in New Zealand, finishing up ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ which I think we can all agree is a good use of my time, considering this sucker is coming at us like a freight train on Dec. 19,” Cameron said. “But I’m sending you guys a reel to give you a taste of the spectacle and new creatures and new cultures that our amazing artists have created, and a glimpse of the increased emotional heart of soul that our incredible cast has delivered.” He went on to tease that the “Sully family are really put through the ringer on this one as they face not only the human invaders, but new adversaries: the Ash People.” Cameron explained that the Ash People are Na’vi who have forsaken Eywa.

Our own Chris Bumbray said the sizzle reel, which was in 3D, was really incredible and even more mind-blowing than the last film. In addition to the Ash People, it also introduces the Wind Traders, new allies for the Sully family who take to the skies in balloon-type vessels. The footage finds the Sully family still living with the water tribe but takes a dark turn when Neytiri is attacked by a grey-skinned Na’vi with red face paint wielding fire. Another Na’vi falls from the sky after being hit by a flaming arrow. Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) plays Varang, the leader of the Ash People.

The film is currently set for a December 19, 2025 release, followed by Avatar 4 on December 21, 2029, and Avatar 5 on December 18, 2031. Cameron even has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but that all depends on whether the demand for the franchise is still there. “There’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie,” Cameron said. “We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

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Although the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash is still many months away, one person who has already seen the film has had quite an emotional reaction. James Cameron screened an unfinished version of Avatar: Fire and Ash for his wife, Suzy Amis Cameron, and it left her crying for four hours.

“My wife watched the whole thing from end to end — she had kept herself away from it and I wasn’t showing her bits and pieces as we went along. This was December 22nd,” Cameron told Empire. “She bawled for four hours. She kept trying to get her shit back together so she could tell me specific reactions, and then she’d just tear up and start crying again. Finally, I’m like, ‘Honey, I’ve got to go to bed. Sorry, we’ll talk about it some other time.’“

Cameron trusts his wife’s reaction to the film: “She called the ball on Titanic and Avatar and Avatar 2. So I trust her heart on it.” Of course, Suzy could have been reduced to tears by the length of the film, as Cameron recently confirmed that it will be even longer than Avatar: The Way of Water. “In a nutshell, we had too many great ideas packed into act one of movie 2. The [film] was moving like a bullet train, and we weren’t drilling down enough on character. So I said, ‘Guys, we’ve got to split it.’” Cameron said, “Movie 3 will actually be a little bit longer than movie 2.” For the record, The Way of Water was 192 minutes long.

Avatar: Fire and Ash will introduce another biome of Pandora, where the “aggressive, volcanic race” of Na’vi, known as the Ash People, reside. The film is currently set for a December 19, 2025 release, followed by Avatar 4 on December 21, 2029, and Avatar 5 on December 18, 2031. Cameron even has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but that all depends on whether the demand for the franchise is still there. “There’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie,” Cameron said. “We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

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Released in 2009, director James Cameron’s film Avatar became the first movie to officially gross more than $2 billion. Then it took him thirteen years to get a sequel into theatres, so it wasn’t clear if the follow-up was going to be able to replicate that success. But then, sure enough, Avatar: The Way of Water also grossed more than $2 billion, paving the way for not only Avatar 3, or Avatar: Fire and Ash, (which is scheduled to reach theatres on December 19, 2025) but also Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 – which will be released on December 21, 2029 and December 19, 2031, respectively. The first Avatar was quite long, with a running time of 2 hours and 42 minutes, but Avatar: The Way of Water surpassed it, going on for 3 hours and 12 minutes. Now, Cameron has confirmed that Avatar: Fire and Ash will be even longer.

Speaking with Empire, Cameron said, “In a nutshell, we had too many great ideas packed into act one of movie 2. The [film] was moving like a bullet train, and we weren’t drilling down enough on character. So I said, ‘Guys, we’ve got to split it.’” As a result, “Movie 3 will actually be a little bit longer than movie 2.“

Cameron crafted these sequels with a writers room that consisted of Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (who worked on The Way of Water and Fire and Ash), Josh Friedman (who was assigned to write Avatar 4), and Shane Salerno (assigned to write Avatar 5). Silver told Empire, “The characters needed to breathe. These movies are a lot more than just propulsive plot and gorgeous spectacle. I mean, these are real characters.” In fact, some of these characters are based on the writers themselves. Like Cameron said, “These characters are amalgams of us, our childhoods, our role as parents, the mistakes we made, and probably to some extent continue to make as parents. I mean, Jake is a hard-ass motherf*cker. He’s very hard on his kids. Well, that’s me.” Meanwhile, the relationship between the characters Lo’ak and Neteyam was inspired by the relationship Rick Jaffa has with his older brother.

The cast of Avatar: Fire and Ash includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, David Thewlis, and Oona Chaplin, who takes on the role of Varang, leader of the antagonistic Ash Clan.

Cameron has said that he also has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but they’ll only be made if there’s still a demand for the franchise. “They’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie. We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

Are you looking forward to Avatar: Fire and Ash, and are you prepared to watch an Avatar movie that’s longer than Avatar: The Way of Water? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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James Cameron’s Avatar still stands as the highest-grossing movie of all time, with a worldwide box office of nearly $3 billion, and Josh Gad could have been a part of it.

In his recently released memoir, In Gad We Trust, the actor recalled auditioning for a “new James Cameron movie called Avatar.” He was up for the role of “Jake Sully’s (Sam Worthington) best friend and translator to the alien race known as the Na’vi,” and according to Gad, his audition went well, and he might have gotten the part if it wasn’t for one big issue.

“I put myself on tape and shortly thereafter got a call that Cameron wanted to fly me to Los Angeles for a final callback at his Lightstorm production offices,” Gad explained. “I apparently did not get [the role] because, while James Cameron was said to be thrilled with my audition, when I was turned into a digital Avatar I supposedly looked like a tall, overweight Smurf.” That would have been a sight. The role of Dr. Norm Spellman was ultimately played by Joel David Moore. Thankfully, things worked out alright for Gad, who went on to be featured in his own billion-dollar franchise: Frozen.

The next installment of the Avatar franchise will introduce another biome of Pandora, where the “aggressive, volcanic race” of Na’vi, known as the Ash People, reside. Avatar: Fire and Ash is currently set for a December 19, 2025 release, followed by Avatar 4 on December 21, 2029 and Avatar 5 on December 18, 2031. Cameron even has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but that all depends on whether the demand for the franchise is still there. “There’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie,” Cameron said. “We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

Gad has been working on a sequel to Spaceballs, which he recently said would be a “celebration of all things Mel Brooks.“

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Released in 2009, director James Cameron’s film Avatar became the first movie to officially gross more than $2 billion. Then it took him thirteen years to get a sequel into theatres, so it wasn’t clear if the follow-up was going to be able to replicate that success. But then, sure enough, Avatar: The Way of Water also grossed more than $2 billion, paving the way for not only Avatar 3, or Avatar: Fire and Ash, (which is scheduled to reach theatres on December 19, 2025) but also Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 – which will be released on December 21, 2029 and December 19, 2031, respectively. The Sullys, the Na’vi family at the heart of these films, lost one of its members in Avatar: The Way of Water, and Cameron has let it be known that they will still be dealing with that grief in Avatar: Fire and Ash – and he has said that the film will show their grief in an honest way.

Speaking with Empire, Cameron said (with thanks to Screen Rant for sharing the quote), “The exact quote, which is in the voiceover, is, ‘The fire of hate gives way to the ash of grief.’ I think what commercial Hollywood doesn’t do well is deal with grief the way human beings really deal with it. You know, characters get killed off, and then in the next movie everybody’s happy again. I’ve lost a lot of people, friends and family members, over the last six or eight years, and it doesn’t work that way. It also doesn’t make you so mad that you’re going to become an army of one and gun up and kill all those motherfu**ers, which is another Hollywood trope. It makes you just kind of depressed and fu**ed up. I’m not saying our movie’s depressed and fu**ed up, I’m just saying that I think we deal with that part of life quite honestly. The [Sullys] journey continues in a very naturalistic, novelistic way. I’ve sort of thought of this next cycle, meaning 3, 4 and 5, as how they continue to process the things that happen to them. Now, of course, they’re not human, but this is a movie for us, by us, right? Science-fiction is always just a big mirror of the human condition.“

The cast of Avatar: Fire and Ash includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, David Thewlis, and Oona Chaplin, who takes on the role of Varang, leader of the antagonistic Ash Clan.

Cameron has said that he also has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but they’ll only be made if there’s still a demand for the franchise. “They’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie. We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

Are you looking forward to Avatar: Fire and Ash and its honest portrayal of grief? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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Released in 2009, director James Cameron’s film Avatar became the first movie to officially gross more than $2 billion. Then it took him thirteen years to get a sequel into theatres, so it wasn’t clear if the follow-up was going to be able to replicate that success. But then, sure enough, Avatar: The Way of Water also grossed more than $2 billion, paving the way for not only Avatar 3, or Avatar: Fire and Ash, (which is scheduled to reach theatres on December 19, 2025) but also Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 – which will be released on December 21, 2029 and December 19, 2031, respectively. A couple of months, Avatar: Fire and Ash unveiled some pieces of concept art, and now Empire has shared a couple more pieces of concept art, which can be seen below.

First, we have a look at the Ash Clan. Cameron told Empire, “Varang (played by Oona Chaplin) is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. She’s hardened by that. She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil. One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic. We’re trying to evolve beyond the ‘all humans are bad, all Na’vi are good’ paradigm.” Cameron also praised Chaplin’s performance, saying she made her adversarial character “feel so real and alive.“

Then there’s the Wind Traders, who use giant creatures to fly. Cameron said, “They’re nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages. And you know, they’re just fun. Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures. If you’ve got any nautical blood in your veins, you’ll want to be on [their] ship.“

In addition to Oona Chaplin, the cast of Avatar: Fire and Ash includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, and David Thewlis.

Cameron has let it be known that he also has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but they’ll only be made if there’s still a demand for the franchise. “They’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie. We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

There’s a lot more Avatar: Fire and Ash news to come, especially since Empire will be releasing new reports on the film every month through December, and we’ll keep you updated here on JoBlo.

What did you think of the Avatar: Fire and Ash concept art? Are you looking forward to this movie? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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With 2024 coming to a close, it’s time to start looking to the future for our cinema needs. What does the year hold in store for us cinephiles? While 2024 held some surprise hits, giant blockbusters, and small films that could, it’s looking like 2025 movie releases will hold more of the same. We can hope that the good fortune that Hollywood has brought us will continue into the new year and keep theater attendance up. Here’s our 2025 Movie Preview:

Den Of Thieves: Pantera – January 10

Gerard Butler is back chasing down diamond thieves on the streets of Europe. He stumbles across the planning of the largest diamond heist ever planned. If you liked the first movie, then this will probably be more of the same. I’m personally happy that Gerard Butler is making some fun B-movie action films like back in the day. Plane was fun, and I’m excited to see these types of films at the theater again.

Better Man – January 10

A biopic about UK pop star Robbie Williams as we see his childhood all the way through his superstardom. Robbie will be playing himself, but how do you do that without it being weird? What if you make it so he’s a chimp? Sure. With Pharrell releasing his biopic as a Lego movie and now Robbie Williams replacing himself with a CGI chimp it seems biopics are really trying to gain quirk appeal.

Back In Action – January 17

Cameron Diaz is coming out of retirement and teaming up with Jamie Foxx for this Netflix original film. They play former CIA agents who are pulled back in when their identities are exposed. While I’m glad to see Diaz back on screen after a decade away, it’s odd that this generic spy action movie did it. Maybe just the idea of being in a movie with Jamie Foxx again was enough.

Star Trek: Section 31 – January 24

This direct to Paramount+ film is a spin off from Star Trek: Discovery starring Michelle Yeoh as her character Philippa Georgiou. This was originally planned as a series, but after COVID-19 delays, it was scrapped. Later they revived the idea for an original movie. Star Trek has always been a beloved franchise but with new movies going direct to streaming, will we ever see them return to the big screen?

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy – February 13

For the first time in nine years, Bridget Jones is back! Only this time, it will be on Peacock in the United States and then in theaters everywhere else in the world. Seems backwards but okay. Bridget Jones is now a single mom and trying to figure out how that works when you’re trying to get back into the dating pool. Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant return, along with some other familiar faces. Are we past the Bridget Jones fandom, or is there still more life in this franchise?

Captain America: Brave New World – February 14

After the events of Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie is donning the shield as the new Captain America. Harrison Ford steps in for the late William Hurt as the new President Ross, who has a big red secret to share. Marvel only had one release last summer, and it seemed to work really well for them. Let’s see if something without Hugh Jackman’s claws still registers for Marvel fans.

Mickey 17 – March 7

The new film from Bong Joon-ho sees Robert Pattinson sent on a space mission because he is seen as expendable. With technology, he can be regenerated if something goes wrong. This time, something goes wrong, and he begins to experience an existential crisis. This darkly comedic film looks like a good time as we see Mickey die in numerous different ways and still have to get up to go to work the next day.

Black Bag – March 14

Steven Soderberg’s spy thriller is coming out with no details on the plot. With a cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, and Pierce Brosnan, you can bet lots of people will be interested in checking it out. Soderberg has always had an interesting take on just about any film he releases, and this will be no different.

Snow White – March 21

Disney continues its trend of doing live-action remakes of its old animated films. This one caused a stir when it was announced, as people seemed divided on how to handle the seven dwarfs aspect of the film. Ultimately, the dwarves will be completely CGI. It will be interesting to see how this plays in a modern culture. Expect some new songs, and Gal Gadot will be playing the evil queen, which is inspired casting compared to the look of the original character.

A Minecraft Movie – April 4

With Super Mario Bros. and the Sonic movies being big hits, it’s no surprise that the hugely popular game Minecraft would be getting its own movie. Jack Black once again jumps on board to play Steve, the generic character most players take control of when booting up Minecraft. Jason Mamoa, Jennifer Coolidge, and Kate McKinnon round out the cast as random characters are pulled into the cubic world and need the help of an expert crafter to get home. Seems very Jumanji.

The Accountant 2 – April 25

I don’t think anyone saw this sequel coming. In the first film, Ben Affleck played a neuro-divergent accountant who had a side job as a hitman. The film was a modest hit but nothing that would seem to warrant a sequel. Some other familiar faces from the first one return.

Thunderbolts* – May 2

The second of Marvel’s offerings this year sees a bunch of cast-off characters from previous Marvel films being rounded up for a new agency. Yelena will be leading the team of previous supervillains who are now taking jobs for the government. Of course, this will be complicated by a lot of in-fighting and some unexpected speedbumps. The trailer makes this look like a lot of fun so here’s hoping it will give MCU fans some laughs while providing some great action scenes.

Lilo & Stitch – May 23

This is the second of Disney’s live-action remakes. Stitch crash-lands on Earth and is adopted by a young girl. Hijinks ensue as others come looking for him. The original had a great sense of humor, and the trailers showing Stitch invading other Disney properties were great. I have no idea if this will translate well into live-action, but kids will probably love it.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – May 23

This was originally titled Dead Reckoning Part II, but after the last film underperformed, the title was quickly changed. It will continue the storyline from the last film, and we see Ethan Hunt trying to stop the deadly AI from causing worldwide chaos. Of course in order to shut it down, they have to make their way to the submarine that is crashed on the ocean floor.

Karate Kid: Legends – May 30

The franchise returns to the big screen as we see Daniel from the original and Mr. Han from the 2010 “remake” join forces to mentor a new student. It’s a strange crossing of the streams which retcons the remake into being set in the same continuity. With Cobra Kai just ending when this hits theaters, will fans even care enough to go check it out? Fans of the original movie got their nostalgia fix with the series. Are there people who have nostalgia for the 2010 movie?

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina – June 6

The spin-off of the John Wick films hits the big screen. We were introduced to the Ballerinas in John Wick 3. Now they get a film all their own while Keanu Reeves will still make an appearance since this is set during that time period. Ana de Armas takes over the role of Eve as she looks to get revenge on the people who killed her family. The intricate world of John Wick is fascinating to explore, and this gives us a chance to see even more of it.

Elio – June 13

An animated film from Disney that follows Elio. He’s a young space fanatic who gets tasked with saving the universe. They have been struggling to come up with animated films that really stick with audiences that aren’t already established Pixar properties. The shine of the early Pixar films has really dimmed after Disney bought them. Hopefully we can see Disney regain its footing with animated films like we used to have.

How To Train Your Dragon – June 13

Dreamworks seems to be taking a cue from Disney and remaking some of their more popular animated properties. We’re getting another round of dragons as we see the first meeting of Hiccup and Toothless. Again. Not sure if this trend will ever end, but at least Dreamworks doesn’t have as deep of a catalog as Disney. When can we expect to see a live-action Kung Fu Panda?

Jurassic World: Rebirth – July 2

Scarlett Johanssen is taking the lead role this time around. No one seems to have learned any lesson about bringing dinosaurs back to life. This time it looks like explorers have to go in to get DNA samples from some prehistoric animals to help cure a disease. Universal really just wants to see if there is any juice left to squeeze out of this fruit. It may be time to let it sleep for a few decades before heading back in.

Superman – July 11

James Gunn takes his stab at the Man of Steel as the DC Universe reboots itself on-screen once again. Reports are that Gunn held an early screening for WB execs and that it did not go well. That could be internet fodder, but it doesn’t instill a lot of hope for the new version of the DCU. With the DC shows on the CW just wrapping up, we’ll have to see if Gunn’s Superman will connect with comic fans. The recent trailer seemed to gain a lot of views very quickly, so we at least know that fans are interested.

The Smurfs Movie – July 18

Those magical little blue creatures will grace theater screens once again. This time, the film will be fully animated and musical. Paramount/Nickelodeon will take on the film, and it seems to be inspired by the popularity of the Troll movies. Rhianna will voice Smurfette and be joined by Nick Offerman, John Goodman, Kurt Russell, Dan Levy, and Hannah Waddingham.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – July 25

Marvel’s first family finally makes their way into the MCU. While they have been on-screen before as part of Fox’s Marvel movies, this time, we’ll see what the MCU has in store for the group. Marvel’s third film in six months will really test if audiences are in superhero fatigue or not. The early footage shown at Comicon seems fun, so hopefully, it will bring something new.

Naked Gun – August 1

Liam Neeson is hoping to try something drastically different than we’ve seen from him before. He has some big shoes to fill, as Leslie Nielsen based the whole second half of his career on the original Naked Gun. It will be hard to see anyone else trying to play that role. Plus, does that type of comedy have a place anymore?

Freakier Friday – August 8

Disney’s calendar of releases this year is crazy, as we see the reteaming of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. The last film was a remake of an old Disney Classic. Now, twenty-one years later, we are getting a sequel. Expect more body-swapping jokes as the Lindsay Lohan resurgence seems to be taking shape. She’s been on an upswing lately, and hopefully, we can see her get a victory lap as she has matured.

Nobody 2 – August 15

Somehow, Bob Odenkirk became an action star after starring in Nobody back in 2021. Now, we get to see some more middle-aged dad action as he returns for this sequel. The first movie really worked to show what appears to be an ordinary man who decides to get back into a life he left a long time ago. Now that we have seen him for what he really is, here’s hoping for more action and more Christopher Lloyd running around with a shotgun.

Downton Abbey 3 – September 12

The third film spin-off of the popular period drama. Many of the cast return to once again play their characters, showing the divide between the upper class and the working class. This drama captivated audiences when it first premiered, and both previous films have been big hits. It only makes sense to keep it going with another film.

Tron: Ares – October 10

We’re traveling back into the world of Tron. Jeff Bridges is back, along with a slew of other familiar faces like Jodie Turner-Smith, Evan Peters, and Jared Leto. This time, a program is sent from the digital world to the real world. Each Tron film so far has pushed the boundaries in terms of special effects and technical marvels. Let’s see what they come up with this time.

Mortal Kombat 2 – October 24

We’re heading back to the arcade, so get your quarters ready. The reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise continues as our heroes are heading back to Outland to continue the fight for all existence. The last film was released during the pandemic, so a true gauge of the popularity is hard to judge, but audiences seem to have a positive response. During the initial film franchise run, the second entry pushed it off a cliff. We can hope they learned their lesson.

Now You See Me 3 – November 14

Another entry into the magic mystery franchise is in the pipeline. All of our sleight-of-hand artists are returning, but no plot has been released so far. The previous movies have gained an audience through their unique use of stage magic and illusions to foil their adversaries. It is a fun and interesting way of doing a mystery based action film. If it lives up to the previous entries, then audiences should leave the theater happy.

Wicked: For Good – November 21

The second part of the recent smash hit. Those who haven’t seen the Broadway play or read the book will get to see how the story ends. I expect more fantastic songs, some great visuals, and more Oz. We all need all the Oz we can get. Let’s all get ready to defy gravity once again.

Zootopia 2 – November 26

Disney has quite the release schedule this year, and we’re not even done yet. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are teaming up to solve a wild case that could change their entire lives. It will be fun to travel back into the world of Zootopia and see where the characters are. It looks like more of the same fun we had in the last film.

Avatar: Fire And Ash – December 19

It’s time to head back to Pandora. Last time James Cameron dealt with water motifs and explored more of the world. Looks like we’ll be dealing with fire this time around. While the films seem to always be a wonder of motion capture and CGI, it would be great to see Cameron go back to other projects before his film career comes to an end. We can always hope.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants – December 19

Hey Kids! SpongeBob is back with another movie. This time, he will explore the depths of the ocean to deal with the ghost of the Flying Dutchman. This franchise just keeps engaging generation after generation. At this point, The Simpsons might be about the only animated franchise that has lasted longer. As long as fans keep checking out the movies, the more they will keep making.

What 2025 movie releases are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments. And, if you’re looking for more info on horror releases, check out our horror movie preview HERE!

The post 2025 Movie Preview: All the big movies hitting theaters next year! appeared first on JoBlo.

Avatar fans won’t have to wait nearly as long for the return of James Cameron’s epic sci-fi franchise, as the next installment will hit theaters next year. While speaking with Deadline, Zoe Saldaña dropped a little tease about what’s to come in Avatar: Fire and Ash.

“The way that we left the Sully family, they’re mourning heavily the loss of their child. So I do believe that that will carry out a great deal in the third installment of Avatar,” Saldaña said. “Jake and Neytiri are on this journey of acceptance, of accepting who they are and what they must be for each other and how they’re going to push forward to keep their family safe. And I love the fact that in the core of this entire saga is a beautiful love story, and I love that Jim really wrote that for them. But it’s not going to be easy. They’re not always going to meet eye to eye, and I just hope that they keep each other safe. That’s my hope for them.“

Speaking of Avatar, Saldaña recently expressed disappointment that motion-capture acting doesn’t receive recognition at the Oscars. “Old habits die hard, and when you have old establishments, it’s really hard to bring forward change,” Saldaña said. “And I understand that, so I’m not bitter about it, but it is quite deflating when you give 120 per cent of yourself into something. I mean, not winning is OK, not being nominated is OK, but when you’re overlooked and then minimised and completely disregarded…“

Avatar: Fire and Ash will also introduce another biome of Pandora, where the “aggressive, volcanic race” of Na’vi, known as the Ash People, reside. Avatar: Fire and Ash is currently set for a December 19, 2025 release, followed by Avatar 4 on December 21, 2029 and Avatar 5 on December 18, 2031. Cameron even has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but that all depends on whether the demand for the franchise is still there. “There’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie,” Cameron said. “We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

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December 2025 may feel like an eternity away, but with just over a year out, you know we’re going to be getting all sorts of news and teases for one of the most anticipated films of next year: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. Fresh out of the D23 Expo in Brazil comes some concept art that gives us an idea of what we can expect.

Some of the highlights of this year’s D23 Expo included trailers for MCU films like Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. But we all know that Avatar: Fire and Ash will be the one that dazzles us all the most next year. So at this point, really anything related to the film will be much welcome. You can check out some of the revealed artwork below:

Not surprisingly, the work is stunning looking, and considering just how much commitment James Cameron gives to these films (and pretty much everything else he wants to involve himself in), we know we’re in for a visual feast and probably yet another Best Visual Effects win at the Oscars to go with the series’ other two. That we won’t have the excruciatingly long wait between films that we did with the first Avatar and 2022’s The Way of Water only helps in our anticipation.

As for the very George R.R. Martin-sounding title of Fire and Ash, James Cameron noted just why it’s key to the film and development of his world. “It took a long time to come up with a title that I felt resonated with what’s in the film. I don’t think I could say too much about it until you actually see the film and you see what it means, but if you think of fire as hatred, anger, violence, that sort of thing, and ash is the aftermath. So what’s the aftermath? Grief, loss, right? And then what does that cause in the future? More violence, more anger, more hatred. It’s a vicious cycle. So that’s the thinking.”

You can check out more of the concept art for Avatar: Fire and Ash on the official D23 X page. The film comes out on December 19th, 2025.

What do you think of the art for Avatar: Fire and Ash? Where does it rank on your list of most anticipated films of 2025?

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After revealing the official title of Avatar 3 at D23 last week, director James Cameron spoke with Entertainment Weekly to explain the meaning behind Avatar: Fire and Ash.

“It took a long time to come up with a title that I felt resonated with what’s in the film,” Cameron said. “I don’t think I could say too much about it until you actually see the film and you see what it means, but if you think of fire as hatred, anger, violence, that sort of thing, and ash is the aftermath. So what’s the aftermath? Grief, loss, right? And then what does that cause in the future? More violence, more anger, more hatred. It’s a vicious cycle. So that’s the thinking.“

Although Fire and Ash leads one to think of apocalyptic imagery, Cameron wouldn’t necessarily call it a dark film. “I think it goes to darker places than the previous ones did, but it’s still obviously this open, glorious, grand adventure, which is what we aspire to do every time we set out,” Cameron explained. “But we’re not afraid to go into the dark places of our characters, which I think is also good. I think that’s also what people really feel they want when they get to know a character well, either through a series or whatever it is that they follow. They want to know more. They want to know more about them, find out what their limits are, so to speak. And we do that.“

The sequel will also introduce another biome of Pandora, where the “aggressive, volcanic race” of Na’vi, known as the Ash People, reside. Oona Chaplin plays Varang, the leader of the Ash People.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is currently set for a December 19, 2025 release, followed by Avatar 4 on December 21, 2029 and Avatar 5 on December 18, 2031. Cameron even has ideas for a potential Avatar 6 and 7, but that all depends on if the demand for the franchise is still there., “There’ll be just far enough apart that they remain events, hopefully, in the lives of fans, of people who want to follow us, but not so far apart that it’s like there’s a generational difference between one movie,” Cameron said. “We’re fortunate we survived that, right? We got over that hurdle. So now we believe it’s going to come at the right pacing.“

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At 69 years old, James Cameron is still one of the busiest filmmakers in Hollywood. This past weekend, new details about the third film in the Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire & Ash, debuted at Disney’s D23 conference. The details teased what’s next for the Na’vi and what wonders fans can expect when the special-effects-driven spectacle takes cinemas by storm. Miraculously, Cameron found time in his busy schedule to engage in a rapid-fire chat with The Hollywood Reporter about upcoming projects, rumors, Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus, his tendency to be “overbearing,” and more.

Digging into a project that Cameron isn’t directly involved in but has his stamp of approval is Netflix’s Terminator Zero TV series. The series stars Timothy Olyphant, Rosario Dawson, Sonoya Mizuno, Ann Dowd, and André Holland. The show chronicles the rise of Skynet and Malcolm Lee’s mission to invent a counter-program to prevent the apocalypse. When asked if he’s seen Terminator Zero, Cameron said, “It looks interesting. My relationship to that is very much like The Sarah Connor Chronicles — other people spinning stories in a world I set in motion is interesting to me. What’s their takeaway? What intrigued them about it? Where are they going with it? It looks like they’re going back to the root cause of Judgment Day — the nuclear war — and whether that’s an ultimate timeline. I’d be curious to see what they’ve come up with. I’m working on my own Terminator stuff right now. It’s got nothing to do with that. Like with The Sarah Connor Chronicles, they occasionally touched on things I had been playing with completely independently. So there’s some curiosity there. It’s not a burning curiosity, but, obviously, it’d be nice to see it succeed.”

Unfortunately, Cameron says his secret Terminator project is classified, and unless we want deadly robots to extract information from our brains in an unceremonious manner, we should let him cook.

When asked about his screening of Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus, Cameron seized the opportunity to set the record straight about his involvement with the film. Cameron says he saw a cut of the film six months ago and enjoyed it. He shared a few notes with Alvarez, but nothing major. He hopes Alvarez succeeds with the film and doesn’t have much else to say. Cameron stresses he was never involved with the film as much as people thought he was.

THR also touched on the rumor that James Cameron is involved with a Fantastic Voyage reboot. Roland Emmerich said he’s exiting the project at Comic-Con, going so far as to call Cameron “overbearing.” Cameron, surprised that this is even news, responded:

“I’ve never said anything negative about Roland. But anyway: Yes, I’m overbearing. Damn right. When it’s a project where I’ve contributed to the writing, I might actually have an opinion on it. I actually don’t even remember talking to Roland Emmerich about Fantastic. I remember the other directors that we worked with for months on end trying to develop that project. If I talked to Roland, it was for two minutes. I have a pretty good memory and I don’t remember that at all.”

When asked if he was still interested in exploring Fantastic Voyage, Cameron said to forget about the project and move on to another subject. The next subject is the recent 4K transfers of Aliens and True Lies, which, if you’ve been paying attention, could have been better received by fans. Cameron, always proud of his work and unafraid to ruffle feathers, thinks cinephiles obsessing about pixel-perfect transfers need to get a life. Do you think I’m being facetious? Observe:

“When people start reviewing your grain structure, they need to move out of mom’s basement and meet somebody. Right? I’m serious. I mean, are you fucking kidding me? I’ve got a great team that does the transfers. I do all the color and density work. I look at every shot, every frame, and then the final transfer is done by a guy who has been with me [for years]. All the Avatar films are done that way. Everything is done that way. Get a life, people, seriously.”

While Cameron touches on other projects in the interview, like his upcoming OceanXplorers series, the conversation eventually turns to the future of his Avatar franchise. With Avatar: Fire & Ash well on its way to theaters late next year, the question of passing the directorial torch for Avatar 4 and 5 hangs in the air.

Cameron loves the Avatar franchise and will direct the fourth and fifth chapters of the series if he has his way. He reread the scripts for both movies a month ago and thinks they’re “cracking stories.” Hollywood would have to pry the Avatar director’s chair from his cold, dead hands, it would seem. I get it. Avatar is Cameron’s baby, a powerhouse for his special effects prowess. Surrendering the reins to a film series as powerful as Avatar is unlikely, especially with so much of the filmmaker’s blood, sweat, and tears poured into every chapter. Who would want to take the franchise over? Who would be brave enough?

For more details about James Cameron’s OceanXplorers series and more, make sure you read THR‘s full interview. In the meantime, what do you think Cameron’s secret Terminator project is about? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Released in 2009, director James Cameron’s film Avatar became the first movie to officially gross more than $2 billion. Then it took him thirteen years to get a sequel into theatres, so it wasn’t clear if the follow-up was going to be able to replicate that success. But then, sure enough, Avatar: The Way of Water also grossed more than $2 billion, paving the way for not only Avatar 3 (which is scheduled to reach theatres on December 19, 2025) but also Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 – which will be released on December 21, 2029 and December 19, 2031, respectively. What we know about the future sequels so far is that Avatar 3 will introduce villainous Na’vi known as the Ash People, Avatar 4 will “go nuts in a good way“ (following a six year time jump), and Avatar 5 will involve a journey to Earth. If things keep going this well as the franchise continues, we might even get Avatar 6 and 7. Work is continuing on the sequels, but franchise star Zoë Saldaña was able to clear a moment to talk to Collider about what’s to come, describing the Avatar films as Cameron’s legacy project.

During an interview with Saldaña, Collider’s Steve Weintraub mentioned that Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and her fellow franchise star Sam Worthington have all teased Avatar 3 to him and have said that Avatar 4 gets crazy. So he asked her to tease the sequels as well. She replied, “It’s going to be amazing. Avatar 3, it’s going to be amazing, and Avatar 4 and 5, it just gets crazy. It’s true. It really does. He’s blown our mind. This is his legacy project. We all thought it was Titanic, and it turned out that Avatar is his legacy, and for us to be a part of something so groundbreaking and trailblazing, it’s like it’s a legacy for us, too. So I’m excited to go back. We go back to work next week, so I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone.“

What do you think of the Avatar franchise being James Cameron’s legacy project? Are you looking forward to parts 3, 4, and 5 (and possibly 6 and 7)? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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With the ongoing writers strike, it was expected that a number of productions would see delays. Just this week, Disney announced that several of their major titles would be pushed back, including future Avatar entries, with the third installment now expected in 2025. As a result, the rest of James Cameron’s films will see much later releases, with the fifth installment – once planned for 2028 – now slated for 2031. And Zoe Saldaña, who plays Neytiri in the series, has some feelings about these Avatar delays…

Zoe Saldaña took to Instagram to respond to the Avatar delays, writing, “Great! I’m gonna be 53 when the last ‘Avatar’ comes out…I was 27 when I shot the very first ‘Avatar.’” For reference, she and co-star Sam Worthington (Jake Sully) will still be relatively young compared to some of the other big names they’ll be working with, as director James Cameron will be 77 and Sigourney Weaver (Kiri) will be 81.

Considering Avatar 3 was already shot, its window is far shorter than the rest in the series. As of now, Avatar 3 will come out on December 19th, 2025, a delay of only one year – although fans were certainly eager to get back to the theaters, as they helped Avatar: The Way of Water pull in $2.3 billion worldwide and make it the third highest-grossing film ever (behind Avengers: Endgame and, yes, the first Avatar). Meanwhile, the delays for Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 are far greater, with both pushed back three years apiece and now hitting theaters (or however we’ll be watching movies at that point) on December 21st, 2029 and December 19th, 2031.

While the Avatar release delays are disappointing, it’s good to see that Disney will continue to support their development, something James Cameron had to sell the House of Mouse on when they snatched up Fox, telling them, “I said [to Disney], ‘You bought this from a bunch of guys at Fox who agreed to a three-hour movie,’ because that’s what we said we were going to do. We’re going to play the epic game.”

Are you disappointed in the Avatar delays? Do you think the added years will affect the cast and crew? Let us know below!

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Disney has just announced that they have just shuffled their entire release schedule. Some changes were expected (since the writers strike has prevented the start of production on Thunderbolts and Blade, those films have been delayed). Some that were unexpected (there are now two Star Wars movies scheduled to be released in 2026) and some are disappointing (one Avatar sequel has been pushed all the way into the 2030s). But, some are very cool – like Deadpool 3 being moved forward, and the new Alien movie from Fede Alvarez getting a theatrical release date.

Here’s how it shakes out:

Previously scheduled to reach theatres on November 8, 2024, Deadpool 3 has now been moved forward to May 3, 2024.

That’s just three days before the release date Captain America: Brave New World had been sitting on, but that movie has now been bumped back to July 26, 2024.

Thunderbolts had been set to reach theatres on that date, but since it hasn’t been able to start filming, it has moved back to December 20, 2024. For the same reason, Blade has been moved back from September 6, 2024 to February 14, 2025. And since that’s the day Fantastic Four was going to be released, that movie has shifted back to May 2, 2025.

Now we have a couple bigger delays in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since Fantastic Four bumped it out of its May 2nd release date (and since the script isn’t ready yet anyway), Avengers: Kang Dynasty has been delayed a year, to May 1, 2026. The other Avengers movie that was scheduled to be released on that date, Avengers: Secret Wars, has also been delayed a year. It’s now scheduled for a May 7, 2027 release.

Outside of the Marvel world, Avatar 3 has also been delayed a year, from December 20, 2024 to December 19, 2025. Which is nothing compared to the three year delays its sequels are getting. Avatar 4 has been moved from December 18, 2026 all the way back to December 21, 2029. Which means Avatar 5 has been pushed into the next decade, moving back from December 22, 2028 to December 19, 2031.

Here’s a few simple date announcements: 20th Century Studios will be releasing the Fede Alvarez Alien movie on August 16, 2024, and the Rami Malek thriller The Amateur is set for a November 8, 2024 release. Disney’s live action reimagining of Moana gets a June 27, 2025 release.

Now a surprise from a galaxy far, far away. Not only has Disney moved the Star Wars project that was scheduled for December 19, 2025 back to May 22, 2026, but they have also announced that another Star Wars movie will be released just months later, on December 18, 2026!

Disney has also set aside the dates of September 6, 2024; March 21, 2025; July 25, 2025; August 8, 2025; and November 7, 2025 for “Untitled Disney” projects.

What do you think of Disney’s updated release schedule? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

It’s always a bummer to hear there’s going to be an extra wait for a movie, but at least we have an idea of what we have to look forward to for a substantial chunk of the next several years.

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Avatar: The Way of Water exceeded expectations to become one of the highest-grossing movies ever when it was released in December 2022. The sci-fi epic sealed director James Cameron’s fate in bringing the rest of his vision to the big screen. And as Cameron knows — there is no fate but what we make for ourselves. One of the fates that Cameron is rumored to be making is a nine-hour cut of Avatar 3. The massive, massive narrative would be broken down into a limited series and released on Disney+, according to MovieWeb.

Cameron boldly filmed both The Way of Water and its follow-up back-to-back, and the third movie is said to now be in its huge post-production process. Avatar 3 is still intended to be released theatrically with all the bells and whistles on December 19, 2025. However, this would likely be a more manageable runtime at a mere three hours. It was reported that last year Cameron submitted a nine-hour cut to 20th Century Studios, and he is planning on doing the visual effects for the entire thing, then whittling it down for its feature presentation in theaters.

If the report is true, Cameron is seeing to it that all that work will not go to waste by releasing the whole thing as a limited series following the theatrical run. After the release of Avatar: The Way of Water and its runtime exceeding that of the first, it has been sort of a running joke online that the further sequels would sport unimaginable lengths. Even with Cameron’s reputation for going big and never going home, a rumor of a completed nine-hour cut still comes as a shock. Since the sci-fi auteur is planning to release at least five sequels in total, it’s a relief that he isn’t planning on releasing the nine-hour cut theatrically in parts, especially given Cameron’s aversion to streaming.

For Avatar 3, Cameron has said that he will be exploring another part of Pandora which will feature a tribe of evil Na’vi called the fire people, a.k.a. the ash people. Actress Oona Chaplin had been cast to play the leader of the tribe. Then, it was announced that one of the sequels would see Neytiri finding herself visiting Earth. However, Cameron has also said that he is wanting to squeeze in a pet project about Hiroshima before continuing to Avatar 4.

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Director James Cameron once said that his new film Avatar: The Way of Water would have to become the “third or fourth highest-grossing film in history” in order to break even. Well, the movie recently became the third highest-grossing film in history (not adjusted for inflation), clearing the way for not only Avatar 3 (which is scheduled to reach theatres on December 20, 2024) but also Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 – which will be released on December 18, 2026 and December 22, 2028, respectively. But before Cameron dives into getting all of those sequels ready, he and producer Jon Landua gathered fans together for a special screening of Avatar: The Way of Water on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California so they could “field feedback directly from an audience that Cameron said will help shape the rest of the franchise.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Avatar fans invited to this screening had all seen The Way of Water at least once before, with one fan in attendance having already seen the movie seven times. As the event began, Cameron said, “This is something we’ve never done, which is [ask], ‘How do we make the next film even better for the fans?’ Go talk to them, find out what’s on your mind. … You guys can be totally honest with us, this is not just about telling us stuff we want to hear. It’s about telling us the stuff we … need to work on more.“

The Q&A that followed lasted for more than an hour and covered topics like plot points, shot selection, frame rates, character development, emotional reactions, moments that made the fans laugh, and whether or not they felt the movie looked too much like a video game at times. You can hear it for yourself in the embed at the bottom of this article.

Cameron told the fans, “I just want to assure you guys that you have made a measurable improvement to Avatar 3 and beyond with your effort here tonight.” He intends to keep track of everyone who was at the screening and get back together with them after Avatar 3 has been released at the end of 2024.

What advice would you have given Cameron if you had attended this fan screening of Avatar: The Way of Water? Share your thoughts on the Avatar franchise by leaving a comment below.

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Five and a half years ago, it was announced that Oona Chaplin – who is best known for playing Talisa Maegyr on Game of Thrones, and for being the granddaughter of the legendary Charlie Chaplin – had been cast in James Cameron’s Avatar sequels. And now, thanks to producer Jon Landau, we finally know who Chaplin will be playing. Last month, Cameron revealed that Avatar 3 will introduce a villainous tribe of Na’vi known as the Ash People, and speaking with Empire (with thanks to Variety for passing it along), Landau gave the information that Chaplin’s character is the leader of this “aggressive, volcanic race” known as the Ash People. Her character’s name is Varang.

Landau explained, “There are good humans and there are bad humans. It’s the same thing on the Na’vi side. Oftentimes, people don’t see themselves as bad. What is the root cause of how they evolve into what we perceive as bad? Maybe there are other factors there that we aren’t aware of.“

We’ve previously also learned that the character Lo’ak, the son of Jake Sully and Neytiri, will be taking over narrator duties on Avatar 3.

During his conversation with Empire, Landau went on to say that there will be “a big time jump” between the events of Avatar 3 and Avatar 4. It has been said that Avatar 5 will take some of the characters from Pandora to Earth, and Landau said the film will show us that “there’s over-population and a depletion of our natural resources that make life harder” on Earth. “But we don’t want to paint a bleak picture for where our world is going. The films are also about the idea that we can change course.“

Avatar 3 is set to reach theatres on December 20, 2024. Avatar 4 will follow on December 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 on December 22, 2028. Are you looking forward to these sequels? What do you think of Oona Chaplin playing the leader of a villainous tribe of Na’vi? Share your thoughts on this franchise by leaving a comment below. I haven’t watched Avatar: The Way of Water yet and haven’t seen Avatar since 2010, so I have some catching up to do.

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The character Jake Sully has been the narrator of both the first Avatar (watch it HERE) and the sequel Avatar: The Way of Water (read our review HERE), but now franchise mastermind James Cameron has revealed that he is losing his narration job as of Avatar 3, which is set to reach theatres on December 20, 2024. During an interview on Soundtracking With Edith Bowman, Cameron gave away the fact that the narrator of the next sequel is the son of Jake Sully and Neytiri, Lo’ak. As the franchise goes on with Avatar 4 (scheduled to reach theatres on December 18, 2026) and Avatar 5 (a December 22, 2028 release), each film will have a different narrator.

Cameron said (with thanks to Variety for the transcription), “I’m going to take a moment when the dust clears to assess what people loved [about Avatar: The Way of Water] and what they responded to the most, and then I may go back and tinker a little bit [with Avatar 3]. We may go back and do a couple of moments here and there. It won’t be radical, but maybe fine-tune it a bit to emphasize that which people are responding to. For example, Lo’ak really emerged as a character that people went with. So I might find ways to…he’s already the narrator. I’m giving away something here, but this is okay. I think it could be intriguing for people to think about what’s coming. Jake was our voiceover narrator for movie one and for movie two, and we have a different narrator for each of the subsequent films. We see it through the eyes of a different character. Movie three is through Lo’ak’s eyes.“

Cameron previously revealed that Avatar 3 will introduce a “fire tribe” of Na’vi called the Ash People, who will show the negative side of the Na’vi. Jack Champion – who can be seen playing the character Spider in Avatar: The Way of Water – has said that he was “very shocked” by the script for Avatar 3. “It just takes a hard left turn, and that’s not a bad thing. You think you know where it’s going, but then a wrecking ball comes. So you’re completely like, ‘Oh wow, I never thought that would’ve happened.’ You also see more regions of Pandora, and you get introduced to more cultures.“

Beyond Avatar 3, Cameron has said that Avatar 4 will “go nuts in a good way” and that his response from a studio executive when he sent in the script for that one was just two words: “Holy f*ck.” Champion says he understands why it got that reaction: “Oh man, I can’t say exactly why, but that story is pretty amazing and pretty dark.“ Producer Jon Landau has let it slip that Avatar 5 will send characters, including Pandora native / Na’vi heroine Neytiri, on a journey to Earth.

Are you looking forward to seeing Avatar 3 through the eyes of new narrator Lo’ak, and to finding out who will be narrating the future sequels? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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A couple months ago, James Cameron told GQ magazine that Avatar: The Way of Water (read our review HERE) might be the worst business case in movie history because, “You have to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history. That’s your threshold. That’s your break even.” That means the movie would have to make somewhere in the range of $2 billion. And while it was always guaranteed that Avatar 3 will be receiving a theatrical release on December 20, 2024, the fates of Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 – which have been scheduled for release on December 18, 2026 and December 22, 2028, respectively – depended on Avatar: The Way of Water breaking even. If it failed, the fourth and fifth movies would be scrapped. But it’s not failing. It has already broken onto the list of the top 10 highest-grossing films in history, and has earned $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office in less than a month. So now Cameron has accepted the fact that he is going to be making Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.

During an interview on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? (as reported by Variety), Cameron said, “It looks like with the momentum that the film has now that we’ll easily pass our break even in the next few days, so it looks like I can’t wiggle out of this and I’m gonna have to do these other sequels. I know what I’m going to be doing the next six or seven years. … The point is we’re going to be okay. I’m sure that we’ll have a discussion soon with with the top folks at Disney about the game plan going forward for Avatar 3, which is already in the can – we’ve already captured and photographed the whole film so we’re in extended post-production to do all that CG magic. And then Avatar 4 and 5 are both written. We even have some of 4 in the can. We’ve begun a franchise at this point. We’ve begun a saga that can now play out over multiple films.“

If things keep going this well as the franchise continues, we might even get Avatar 6 and 7.

What we know about the future sequels so far is that Avatar 3 will introduce villainous Na’vi known as the Ash People, Avatar 4 will “go nuts in a good way“, and Avatar 5 will involve a journey to Earth.

Are you glad to hear James Cameron is going to have the chance to make the additional Avatar sequels he’s been wanting to make? Share your thoughts on this franchise by leaving a comment below.

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Director James Cameron has said that Avatar: The Way of Water (read our review HERE, or watch it in the embed above) needs to make somewhere in the range of $2 billion at the global box office in order to break even. It has earned over $600 million after just one week in release, so it’s chugging its way toward that goal. Regardless of what this Avatar sequel earns, Avatar 3 is already guaranteed to reach theatres next year, on December 20, 2024. It’s the fate of Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 (which have December 18, 2026 and December 22, 2028 release dates) that hangs in the balance. Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar 3, and the first act of Avatar 4 were all filmed during the same epic production schedule – and while speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Cameron said this was done to avoid “the Stranger Things effect”.

Cameron said that because there are two young actors who play important roles in the sequel: Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, who was around the age of 7 when she was first cast to play the character Tuk in the sequels and is now 13, and Jack Champion, who was cast to play Spider when he was 12 and is now 18. If the sequels hadn’t been filmed concurrently, “you get – and I love Stranger Things – but you get the Stranger Things effect where they’re supposed to still be in high school [but] they look like they’re 27. You know, I love the show. It’s okay, we’ll suspend disbelief. We like the characters, but, you know.“

It also makes sense that Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar 3 would be filmed at the same time because they started out as one script that had to be split in two because the writers had “too much material” to work with.

Directed by Cameron from a screenplay he wrote with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, Avatar: The Way of Water has the following synopsis: Set 14 years after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water will find Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) having started a family, but when the Resources Development Administration (RDA) returns to Pandora, the family is forced to flee to the reef. Jake and Neytiri’s family includes Na’vi kids Neteyam (Jamie Flatter), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss), but they also have Miles Socorro (Jack Champion). Also known as Spider, the young boy was born at the military base on Pandora but was too small to return to Earth so he has been raised by Jake and Neytiri.

If you’ve seen Avatar: The Way of Water, let us know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below – and also let us know if you’re looking forward to seeing more of Tuk and Spider in future sequels.

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Avatar: The Way of Water may be over three hours long, but it certainly doesn’t answer every question it raises. While we know that there are several more Avatar sequels on the way, there may be a reason why the first sequel felt like half a story. Avatar: The Way of Water screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver told Variety that the sequel was supposed to be one movie with Avatar 3.

When Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver were tasked with writing the script for Avatar: The Way of Water, they wound up with far too much story. “From the beginning, one of the challenges — I’ll say it was a delicious challenge — is that there was too much material,” Silver said. At first they considered cutting down the script, but James Cameron didn’t think that was a good idea. “Carrying this burden was always an issue in terms of getting the first act of that first movie moving, and there was just an enormous amount of material in there,” Silver said. “So somewhere after we had started writing, [Cameron] called us up and he said, ‘Look, we’ve got too much material. We’re going to split it into two movies.’” Jaffa added that splitting the script into two movies “has worked out great for us.“

It remains to be seen what the future of the franchise will be, but it seems that the sequels have some big surprises in store. Jack Champion, who plays Jake’s adopted son Spider, said that he was shocked by Avatar 3. “It just takes a hard left turn, and that’s not a bad thing,” Champion said. “You think you know where it’s going, but then a wrecking ball comes. So you’re completely like, ‘Oh wow, I never thought that would’ve happened.’ You also see more regions of Pandora, and you get introduced to more cultures. So I think it’s even better than Avatar: The Way of Water. Collectively, they’ll each get better.” James Cameron has even said that Avatar 4 will “go nuts in a good way,” with a studio executive merely saying “holy f**k” when sent the script.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water tells the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive,  and the tragedies they endure. The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Edie Falco, and more. James Cameron directed and co-wrote the script alongside Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. You can check out a review of Avatar: The Way of Water from our own Eric Walkuski right here, and let us know what you thought of the film as well.

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After a thirteen year wait, the Avatar sequel Avatar: The Way of Water is now in theatres (you can find out what our own Eric Walkuski thought of the film by watching the video embedded above, or by reading the review HERE), and Avatar 3 is guaranteed to reach theatres next year, on December 20, 2023. If these two movies do well enough, franchise mastermind James Cameron will be able to move forward on Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, which have already been given December 18, 2026 and December 22, 2028 release dates, but could be scrapped if the preceding sequels don’t make a profit. If these sequels do happen, cast member Jack Champion – who can be seen playing the character Spider in Avatar: The Way of Water – has said that the franchise will get better with each sequel.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Champion said, “I was very shocked by (the script for Avatar 3). It just takes a hard left turn, and that’s not a bad thing. You think you know where it’s going, but then a wrecking ball comes. So you’re completely like, ‘Oh wow, I never thought that would’ve happened.’ You also see more regions of Pandora, and you get introduced to more cultures. So I think it’s even better than Avatar: The Way of Water. Collectively, they’ll each get better.“

Cameron has said that Avatar 4 will “go nuts in a good way” and that his response from a studio executive when he sent in the script for that one was just two words: “Holy f*ck.” Champion says he understands why it got that reaction: “Oh man, I can’t say exactly why, but that story is pretty amazing and pretty dark.“

That’s where Champion’s Avatar knowledge ends, because he hasn’t been told anything about Avatar 5 and hasn’t seen the script yet. But producer Jon Landau has let it slip that Avatar 5 will send characters, including Pandora native / Na’vi heroine Neytiri, on a journey to Earth.

Are you looking forward to seeing the Avatar franchise continue to grow? Do you hope all of the planned sequels will happen? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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James Cameron has invested big in Avatar. He has said he was working on preliminary drafts for the first film since the mid-90s. However, he shelved the project until he felt the technology to realize his vision was sufficient enough. It has since been 13 years since he felt technology had advanced enough to create photorealistic water effects for the epic’s sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. The gamble is even though Avatar became an enormous box office success, with the help of 3D up-charges, the film seemed to come and go without too much impact outside a revitalization of a 3D era in movies. And even then, the fad would see a decline. The Hollywood Reporter sat down with James Cameron and discussed his state of mind as he brings forth a growing franchise that didn’t seem to be in high demand. He even states that Avatar 3 has already wrapped filming and, should the second film in the series flop, he will go ahead with the third. It’s been reported that The Way of Water will have to make $2 billion to see a profit.

We’ll probably finish movie three regardless because it’s all shot. We’d have to really crater for it not to seem like it was worth the additional investment. We’d have to leave a smoking hole in the ground. Now, hopefully, we get to tell the whole thing because five’s better than four, four’s better than three, and three’s better than two.”

As Fox got purchased by Disney in the midst of the sequel’s production, Cameron had to sell Disney on the gamble. “I said [to Disney], ‘You bought this from a bunch of guys at Fox who agreed to a three-hour movie,’ because that’s what we said we were going to do. We’re going to play the epic game. We’ll know by the third weekend. You’re not going to know by the first weekend. Titanic didn’t work that way. Avatar didn’t work that way.”

Avatar: The Way of Water will hit screens on December 16. Are you looking forward to this year’s sequel and Avatar 3? Share your thoughts on these films by leaving a comment below.

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James Cameron’s Avatar will return to theaters on September 23rd “in stunning 4K high dynamic range” ahead of the release of the long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of the Water.

This re-release will obviously bump Avatar’s box office numbers. Avatar famously smashed box office records upon its 2009 release, sinking James Cameron’s own Titanic after a 12-year reign as champ. Since then, Avatar has had three other re-releases (in 2010, 2020 and 2021), all pumping its worldwide box office numbers. Currently, Avatar sits at #1 worldwide, with a total gross of $2.8 billion. Domestically, it is #4, at first being topped by Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. Although Top Gun: Maverick continues its climb towards the top five and very well could rest near Avatar.

Avatar’s return to theaters will last two weeks, which is approximately how long all four movies will run when all is said and done. Actually, we should take that back, as James Cameron is having none of the complaints about the movies’ runtimes. “I don’t want anybody whining about the length when they sit and binge-watch [television] for eight hours. It’s like, give me a f*cking break.”

Avatar: The Way of the Water hits the big screen on December 16. James Cameron will direct that and Avatar 3, due out in 2024. He may “pass the baton” for Avatar 4 (2026) and Avatar 5 (2028).

Interestingly, Avatar was just removed from Disney+, perhaps a clever move from the studio to nudge fans towards theaters.

Will you partake in Avatar’s return to theaters next month? Are you anticipating Avatar: The Way of the Water?

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Director James Cameron has returned to New Zealand to get back to work making a whole lot more AVATAR for us to look forward to, and producer Jon Landau has decided to mark the occasion by sharing some AVATAR sequel concept art online. In the images below we see the Crabsuit, "a human driven multifunction submersible. One of the many new Resources Development Administration vehicles that will be seen in the AVATAR sequels." And yep, this definitely looks like the sort of thing that would be on display in a James Cameron movie.

We're coming up on the 11th anniversary of the release of AVATAR (watch it HERE), and if you're wondering why it has taken so long to get a sequel off the ground, it's because Cameron spent years getting screenplays ready for not just AVATAR 2 but also AVATARs 3, 4, and 5. Parts 2 and 3 are being shot concurrently, and have been in production since 2017. Apparently some footage has been shot for 4 and 5 as well, but it has been said that those sequels won't officially receive a greenlight until the studio sees how successful AVATAR 2 is – although they have already given the films release dates, just in case.

Landau says AVATAR 2 is the story of 

the Sully family and what one does to keep their family together. Jake and Neytiri have a family in this movie, they are forced to leave their home, they go out and explore the different regions of Pandora, including spending quite a bit of time on the water, around the water, in the water."

The cast of AVATAR 2 includes returning stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, and Giovanni Ribisi, as well as newcomers Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, and Vin Diesel. They're joined in the cast of AVATAR 3 by David Thewlis.

The release dates of all of the AVATAR sequels were recently pushed back one year, due to delays caused by the pandemic. AVATAR 2 is scheduled to reach theatres on December 16, 2022; AVATAR 3 on December 20, 2024; AVATAR 4 on December 18, 2026; and AVATAR 4 on December 22, 2028.

Cameron will be directing all of the films. He wrote the screenplays for the first and fifth movies on his own. Josh Friedman co-wrote 2 with him, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are his co-writers on 3, and he wrote 4 with Shane Salerno.
 

The Crabsuit: A human driven multifunction submersible. One of the many new RDA vehicles that will be seen in the Avatar sequels.

Thanks to Producer @JonLandau for sharing this concept art! pic.twitter.com/8RwZ38nizj

— Avatar (@officialavatar) August 4, 2020

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It's been over a decade since James Cameron's AVATAR hit theaters, and here we are, still awaiting the release of the first of four sequels. Over the years, we've seen more than a few announcements regarding a delay in the AVATAR sequels, and just yesterday, Disney announced that they were pushing back all of the upcoming AVATAR films (as well as the new STAR WARS trilogy) by a full year.

The latest push found AVATAR 2 moving from December 17, 2021 to December 16, 2022; AVATAR 3 moving from December 22, 2023 to December 20, 2024; AVATAR 4 moving from December 19, 2025 to December 18, 2026; and AVATAR 5 moving from December 27, 2027 to December 22, 2028. Will any of us even be alive by then? Although this is far from the first delay that James Cameron has experienced in regards to the AVATAR films, he penned a letter to give his thoughts on the matter. "There is no one more disappointed about this delay than me," Cameron wrote. "But I am buoyed by the incredible performances of our cast and the extraordinary work that Weta Digital is doing bringing the world of Pandora and the characters of the film to life." You can read the rest of Cameron's letter below.

While I'm not one of those who are anxiously awaiting the four sequels to James Cameron's AVATAR, I know better than to bet against the director, and I'll admit to some degree of curiosity regarding where Cameron plans on taking the story of the Na'vi over the course of these sequels.

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It has been years since we reported on the sequels to director James Cameron's 2009 hit AVATAR, but it's not like we've missed out on a huge amount of news. After spending years crafting the screenplays for not just AVATAR 2 but also parts 3, 4, and 5, Cameron began making 2 and 3 back-to-back in 2017. Nearly three years deep into filming, the production was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic… but now Cameron and the crew have returned to New Zealand so they can get production going again once they're out of the mandatory quarantine. 

While New Zealand's borders are closed, Cameron and his cohorts made it through a loophole that allows in foreigners who are considered "essential to a project of significant economic value". Some locals aren't too happy about their arrival, because the virus threat has been nearly eliminated in New Zealand.

Producer Jon Landau just recently offered up some details on the AVATAR 2 story, telling RNZ, 

This is the story of the Sully family and what one does to keep their family together. Jake and Neytiri have a family in this movie, they are forced to leave their home, they go out and explore the different regions of Pandora, including spending quite a bit of time on the water, around the water, in the water. I think, why do people turn to entertainment today, more so than ever? I think it's to escape, to escape the world we're in, to escape the other pressures they have in their lives. I think with Avatar, we have an opportunity to allow people to escape to an incredible world with incredible characters that they will follow, in much the same way as Peter Jackson was able to do with Lord of the Rings, so that's what we're looking forward to doing."

The cast of AVATAR 2 includes returning stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, and Giovanni Ribisi, as well as newcomers Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, and Vin Diesel.

It has been reported that David Thewlis is in the cast of part 2, but he told Collider that's not the case.

I’m not in Avatar 2. I’m going to be in Avatar 3, which was shot at the same time as Avatar 2, and the plan is that I will be in Avatar 4 and 5, as well. I just wanted to clear that up because somebody got that wrong recently."

AVATAR 2 is scheduled to reach theatres on December 17, 2021, with AVATAR 3 following on December 22, 2023. 

If AVATAR 2 is successful, AVATAR 4 and 5 will be given the greenlight to go into production. They already have release dates secured, just in case: December 19, 2025 and December 17, 2027.

I'm confident 4 and 5 will be made. I wasn't interested in TITANIC, it became the biggest movie ever. I wasn't interested in AVATAR, it replaced TITANIC as the biggest movie ever. So I have learned not to bet against films directed by Cameron. (Movies he produces, like ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL and TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, don't reach the same heights.) 
 

In the #Avatar sequels, you won’t just return to Pandora — you’ll explore new parts of the world.

Check out these brand new concept art pieces for a sneak peek at what’s to come. pic.twitter.com/bfZPWVa7XZ

— Avatar (@officialavatar) January 7, 2020

That's a wrap, Na'vi Nation! ????

It's our last day of live-action filming in 2019, and we're celebrating with a sneak peek. ????

Check out this photo of the aft well deck section of the Sea Dragon, a massive mothership that carries an array of other sea-going craft in the sequels. pic.twitter.com/AXgAve6aTG

— Avatar (@officialavatar) November 29, 2019

From the set of the Avatar sequels: Producer Jon Landau, Sigourney Weaver, and Joel David Moore revisited the Site 26 Shack to shoot scenes for the new films.

Follow Jon on Instagram at "JonPLandau" for more sneak peeks! ???? pic.twitter.com/hueTOr9saV

— Avatar (@officialavatar) April 29, 2020

From the set of the sequels: @JimCameron directing the actors before they dive underwater for performance capture.

Fun fact: That layer of white on the water's surface is comprised of floating balls that prevent lights from interfering with filming underwater. pic.twitter.com/dOBwS6qOXF

— Avatar (@officialavatar) May 6, 2020

From the set of the sequels: @ZoeSaldana, Sam Worthington, Kate Winslet, and Cliff Curtis taking a break from underwater performance capture for a quick photo!

Fun fact: Much of the performance capture took place in this 900,000 gallon tank, built specifically for the sequels. pic.twitter.com/NSfqoZ6jXJ

— Avatar (@officialavatar) May 13, 2020

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Hollywood productions are all on hold in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the more high-profile shutdowns was James Cameron's AVATAR 2. The sequel has already seen its share of self-imposed delays due to Cameron and his team wanting to get everything just right and with ambitions to turn this into a five-movie franchise, a lot of hard work is being done to make sure that the first sequel can still see its December 2021 release, despite the pause in production due to the coronavirus.

In a recent interview via "Empire", Cameron addressed the filming delay that the production suffered in New Zeland and he says everything that can currently be done is taking place to make sure that AVATAR 2 can make its planned release date:

"There's a very good chance that our shoot might be delayed a couple of months, but we can still do it. So that's good news… We've got everybody, everybody at Weta Digital and Lightstorm, working from home to the extent that that is possible. But my work is on the stage doing the virtual cameras and so on, so I can do a bit of editing, but it's not great for me."

The positive news is that New Zealand has handled the situation incredibly well and recently revealed that productions will be able to resume in the country soon. I'm guessing productions around the world will look to the work that resumes first to see the best way to get things back up and running and New Zealand could prove to be a very important template. California, for instance, hasn't announced when productions can restart but they did acknowledge that teams have been assembled to start the transition. The DGA has also formed a committee to begin discussing safety practices to make sure everyone feels safe going back to work on set. New Zealand is ahead of the game, which bodes well for production on AVATAR 2 restarting sooner rather than later.

As of now, AVATAR 2 is set to hit screens on December 17, 2021, and the subsequent sequels are dated through December 2027. The first film was released in 2009 and became the highest-grossing film at the worldwide box office until AVENGERS: ENDGAME dethroned the film last year. I keep questioning how much interest there will be in the AVATAR sequels once they're finally released but Cameron is all about touting the groundbreaking technology used to bring the films to life and perhaps that will be a big enough hook to make moviegoers interested again.

Do YOU think AVATAR 2 will remain on schedule?

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In what has been the move for almost all productions currently shooting as the coronavirus scare worsens, the AVATAR sequels become the latest films to halt production. The sequels were currently filming in New Zealand.

Producer Jon Landau confirmed the news via the "New Zealand Herald." Landau stated that there will be a delay to a block of filming that was slated to take place at Wellington's Stone Street Studios in April. Weta Digital will continue to work on visual effects on the films in the meantime.

Landau told the "Herald" that he could not provide an answer as to when production in New Zealand would resume but they are re-assessing the production schedule. The focus will now be on getting as many minutes of VFX work to Weta Digital to complete.

The AVATAR sequels are the latest international shoots that have had to suspend production due to the coronavirus pandemic. Amazon's television adaptation of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, which is also being shot in New Zealand, has also been put on hold while the shooting on Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis biopic was also halted after Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19. The virus is not only shuttering overseas productions as the list of film & TV projects that have had to stop shooting in the states continues to grow.

Work on the long-delayed sequels to 2009's AVATAR was expected to be completed by the end of 2020 with work on a total of four films being done simultaneously. It's not completely clear if this delay will change that timetable but I'm going to assume they're going to take a wait and see approach to this. As of now, AVATAR 2 has a release date of December 17, 2021, with the following three sequels to be released in December 2023, December 2025 and December 2027.

Another day, another production comes to an abrupt end due to the coronavirus. The uneasy thing about all of this is that we really don't know when things will go back to normal. I do know the industry is basically going dark at this point & it's a very distressing thing to see.

How long do YOU think productions will have to cease filming?

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