James Cameron Close To Finishing Writing The Avatar Sequels

By Rudie Obias | Updated

This article is more than 2 years old

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Topping James Cameron’s Avatar as the highest grossing movie of all time will be a daunting task, but if anyone can do it, it will probably be the self-proclaimed “king of the world.” Avatar 2 isn’t expected in theaters until the end of 2014, but the Academy Award-winning director has sounded off to assure us that he is still hard at work writing the Avatar sequels.

In an interview with PlayGoesStrong.com, Cameron talked about putting together Avatar 2 and Avatar 3. Since both sequels will be made back-to-back, Cameron is having a hard time getting back into the groove of Pandora. Cameron explains:

I’m working on Avatar 2 and Avatar 3. I was talking the other day with Peter Jackson and said, ‘You had it easy dude. You had the books when you did the second and third Lord of the Rings. I have to create my own books in my head and extract a script from it. I’m deep into it and I’m living in Pandora right now. There is that start up torque where you feel it’s coming to you. Then you build up momentum. That’s when it gets fun. The characters talk and it’s writing itself. I’m almost there right now. It’s building fast.

James Cameron is also enjoying the scenic backdrop of rural New Zealand. As he puts it, “When you live in a special world like Pandora, you have to live in that world.” The 58-year-old director will be shooting both Avatar sequels in New Zealand.

When asked if he’s feeling the pressure of delivering a sequel to the highest grossing movie of all time, Cameron says:

Pressure, no. It’s a little daunting because sequels are always tricky. You have to be surprising and stay ahead of audience anticipation. At the same time, you have to massage their feet with things that they know and love about the first film. I’ve walked that line in the past, so I’m not too worried about it. At the same time, I definitely have to deliver the goods.

By the time Avatar 2 is to be released into theaters in 2014, it will have been five years since the original Avatar dazzled audiences around the world. Cameron has the two highest grossing movies of all time, with Avatar at #1 and Titanic at #2, so there’s no telling how big Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 could be.

Avatar 2 was originally slated for a December 2014 release and Avatar 3 for December 2015. Both movies will be presented in IMAX, 3D, and possibly 48 FPS.