“I’ll probably be handing the baton on at that point.”
We’re still a fair way off from the release of Avatar 3, but it seems as though fans wanting the franchise to continue for a long time are definitely in luck – as director James Cameron has revealed he has plans for the sixth and seventh films in the series.
Speaking to People at the 51st annual Saturn Awards, Cameron revealed his plans for the future and said: “We’re fully written through movie five, and I’ve got ideas for six and seven, although I’ll probably be handing the baton on at that point.
“I mean, mortality catches up. But I mean, we’re enjoying what we’re doing. We’re loving it. We get to work with great people.”
As for who exactly will be replacing Cameron as the director at the helm of the franchise, nothing has yet been revealed.
But that’s not all, as Cameron also revealed his hopes for Avatar to reach the same dizzying fan favourite heights as franchises like Star Trek or Star Wars.
He said: “Star Trek, Star Wars, the world building franchises that have been around since I was a kid, those were my inspirations.
“And as I was saying out there, we’re still a young universe. We’re only two movies in, we’re halfway through our third right now. To have that kind of cultural impact over time, you [have] got to pour all your heart and energy into it.”
If you’re worried about the concepts within the films being a little too stretched, then have no fear – as Cameron has lots more stories to bring to the big screen.
Speaking to People, Avatar producer Jon Landau also shared: “And there are more stories to tell. I mean, it’s not like we’re trying to come up with stories. He’s got the stories, and we took the time to lay it out across all four sequels.”
The first Avatar film was released back in 2009, and a sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, arrived on our screens in 2022, doing major numbers at the box office – grossing more than $2.3 billion worldwide.
Although there are scarce details about the third movie, Cameron previously made it clear that he’s aiming for five films – making this news of a sixth and seventh even more exciting for fans.
Cameron has previously shared how advancements in technology mean that the process between films should be more seamless, with many predicting that the third could be the best one yet as a result.
For now, we’ll have to bide our time and wait for the next trip to Pandora to land on the big screen, with its expected release date being December 2025.
Actor Jack Champion previously told The Hollywood Reporter of the upcoming film: “I was very shocked by it. 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.”
Avatar 3 is due to be released in cinemas in 2025. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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