Key Takeaways
- James Cameron views the first three Avatar films as a complete saga.
- Avatar 4 and 5 will form a separate narrative arc.
- Cameron is open to ending the franchise if future films do not meet financial expectations.
- The initial reactions to Avatar: Fire and Ash have been largely positive, highlighting its immersive experience.
We’re a little over two weeks out from the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, and while the sequel is already shaping up for a strong opening, James Cameron seems to be okay if this is the end of the road for the franchise. In fact, he told io9 that he views the first three Avatar movies as one saga, with Avatar 4 & 5 forming another.
What Did James Cameron Say About the First Avatar Saga?
“I think you’ve got a little bit of experience with sequels and how you have to deliver beyond the audience’s expectation, take them from the familiar to the new each time,” Cameron explained. “I don’t think of Fire and Ash as a sequel. I think it was a culmination of a saga. I like ‘saga’ better than ‘sequel’ because a lot of where we were going with the story was in the original architecture of the story. So if you think of this as the third act, I think that’s healthier. As opposed to a typical Hollywood sequel, where they make a bunch of money with a movie and then they’re like, ‘Oh, crap. We’ve got to scramble around and get a new script. Maybe it’s not so good, but let’s just shoot it and get it out there.’ That’s not what we’re doing here at all. It’s a long game. And I went into it knowing that we’d be playing a long game and betting that the audience would come along with us and care about these people. Because they may be 10 feet tall and blue, but they’re people.“
Avatar 4 is slated to hit theaters in 2029, followed by Avatar 5 in 2031. However, Cameron is ready to call it quits if needed. “I have no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money,” he said. “The question is, does it make enough money to justify doing it again?” If not, Cameron is “absolutely” ready to set the franchise aside if there’s no more demand for sequels.
Cameron told io9 that films four and five are “It’s own saga. It’s got a beginning and a middle and an end that plays out across these two films. They’re vaporware right now.“
What Are the First Reactions to Avatar: Fire and Ash?
The first reactions to the new film began to drop earlier today, and they have been mainly positive. Our own Chris Bumbray said, “Avatar: Fire and Ash is obviously a must see in IMAX 3D. Like The Way of Water, it’s unbelievably immersive. I think it’s a minor step down from the last one, but the 3 hour plus running time whizzes by and I’m definitely always down for another trip to Pandora.” Few could deny the visual spectacle on display, but some of the more critical reactions slammed the film as being more of the same and overly long.
I’ve been enjoying these movies as much as the next fan, but I would love to see Cameron tackle something new. It’s wild to think that the last non-Avatar movie Cameron directed was Titanic… which came out almost thirty years ago. Avatar: Fire and Ash will hit theaters on December 19.
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