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Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in a profile tied to this week’s release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Cameron touched on his filmmaking future. “I’ve got other stories to tell, and I’ve got other stories to tell within Avatar,” he said. “What won’t happen is, I won’t go down the rabbit hole of exclusively making only Avatar for multiple years. I’m going to figure out another way that involves more collaboration. I’m not saying I’m going to step away as a director, but I’m going to pull back from being as hands-on with every tiny aspect of the process.”
Taking a Break From Avatar Might Be Best for James Cameron
Though Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 are currently dated for 2029 and 2031, respectively, Cameron has hinted on more than one occasion recently that he’s going to take a patient approach with those films. There’s no guarantee they even happen, as Cameron is waiting to see what kind of profit Avatar: Fire and Ash turns at the box office before making a decision. He’s also spoken about wanting to devise a more efficient way to produce the Avatar films and cut down on costs. So even if Fire and Ash follows in the footsteps of its predecessors and grosses $2 billion, there could be another extended wait for the next Avatar movie.
Stepping away from Avatar for a bit arguably could be beneficial for Cameron. While Fire and Ash is shaping up to be a sizable box office hit over the holiday season, the general consensus is that it’s the worst of the three to date. This isn’t to say Fire and Ash reviews are bad (the Rotten Tomatoes score is a respectable 71%), but even those who are high on the film feel Cameron is retreading old ground. Not only has the novelty of the (admittedly cutting edge) special effects worn off, Fire and Ash doesn’t do enough to push the story forward and stand out in a meaningful way. Narrative has never been the greatest strength of the Avatar franchise, but if the next two movies are to get off the ground, it’ll be important for them to evolve the plot.
