“I mean, there’s no reason not to. I’m healthy, I’m good to go,” Cameron said. “I’m not going to rule it out. I mean, I’ve got to make it in a vigorous way, to handle the kind of volume and energy of the work for another six or seven years. You know what I mean? I might not be able to do that.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is directed by Cameron, is gearing up for its release this holiday season. The film’s first trailer was recently officially released online, teasing a Na’vi civil war with the emergence of a tribe known as the “Ash People.” In addition to the live-action films, Cameron is also working on an animated Avatar spinoff that will explore other stories the movies can’t tackle.
It’s encouraging to hear Cameron is up for directing the next two Avatar films himself. The franchise is his original creation, and it would be borderline impossible to find a younger filmmaker who could follow his footsteps. Cameron’s knack for visual storytelling and eye for action is unparalleled, and he’s always looking for ways to push the boundaries of moviemaking technology. He’s also looking to evolve the Avatar franchise from a screenwriting perspective, using Fire and Ash as an outlet to explore the concept of grief and move the movies beyond the trope of “all humans bad, all Na’vi good.” Even those who have been critical of the narratives in the Avatar movies admit the spectacle is unlike anything they’ve seen before. If Cameron’s still calling the shots on future sequels, the next Avatar films will continue to push the needle in more ways than one.
There also may not be a director out there willing to take over for Cameron. The entire film industry knows Avatar is Cameron’s baby through and through, and even a veteran filmmaker might be wary about stepping in. Ron Howard turned down the opportunity to direct Star Wars: The Phantom Menace because he didn’t want to step on George Lucas’ toes. Since Avatar is so distinctly Cameron, another director could be afraid of falling short of what Cameron accomplished and what makes Avatar special. Fortunately, it looks like Cameron is taking a page from contemporaries like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese and will keep making ambitious films well into his elder years.
