James Cameron's Sequel to "AVATAR" - Part 1

[Drizzle]

My question to you all is do you think any of these have a chance of making as much as the first one?

Personally, I don't think so. The first one made so much because it was one of those event films, like "Jaws", "Star Wars" and "Jurassic Park" before it, that was a game changer. In this case, the main attraction was the innovative use of 3D. To this day, it's the best use of 3D I've seen in a film, with "Gravity" coming in a very close second. When "Avatar" came out, everyone went to see it mainly for that reason, and the increased 3D ticket prices helped the box office gross skyrocket. People were impressed, as they kept going back to see it and it had great word of mouth. It got a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. For a while, it was all anyone talked about....and then nothing.

It's almost like people have forgotten about it. It's not a pop culture juggernaut like "Star Wars". You're not going to find any "Avatar" action figures, t-shirts or video games at Wal-Mart or Target. It seems that its legacy is that it unleashed the onslaught of damn near every Hollywood film being released in 3D, with results varying from great ("Gravity") to unnecessary ("The Great Gatsby").

Will people still line up in record-breaking numbers to see the continuing adventures of Jake Sully and Neytiri in 2016? Or will a lot of people think "Eh, I've seen it already"? Who even knows if "Avatar" will still even be the highest grossing film of all time by then? We still have another "Avengers" movie, a film featuring Batman and Superman and a "Star Wars" movie before that. It's a tall order. I dig the first one, so I'll definitely check it out. But I doubt it'll reach $2.7 billion.

 

[:eek:]

My question to you all is do you think any of these have a chance of making as much as the first one?

Personally, I don't think so. The first one made so much because it was one of those event films, like "Jaws", "Star Wars" and "Jurassic Park" before it, that was a game changer. In this case, the main attraction was the innovative use of 3D. To this day, it's the best use of 3D I've seen in a film, with "Gravity" coming in a very close second. When "Avatar" came out, everyone went to see it mainly for that reason, and the increased 3D ticket prices helped the box office gross skyrocket. People were impressed, as they kept going back to see it and it had great word of mouth. It got a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. For a while, it was all anyone talked about....and then nothing.

It's almost like people have forgotten about it. It's not a pop culture juggernaut like "Star Wars". You're not going to find any "Avatar" action figures, t-shirts or video games at Wal-Mart or Target. It seems that its legacy is that it unleashed the onslaught of damn near every Hollywood film being released in 3D, with results varying from great ("Gravity") to unnecessary ("The Great Gatsby").

Will people still line up in record-breaking numbers to see the continuing adventures of Jake Sully and Neytiri in 2016? Or will a lot of people think "Eh, I've seen it already"? Who even knows if "Avatar" will still even be the highest grossing film of all time by then? We still have another "Avengers" movie, a film featuring Batman and Superman and a "Star Wars" movie before that. It's a tall order. I dig the first one, so I'll definitely check it out. But I doubt it'll reach $2.7 billion.

Domestically I don't think the sequels have a chance to make as much as the first one. The international market feels trickier to predict with markets like China still expanding. But $2,7 billion surely is an insane amount of money and it certainly will take something special to break that record.

 

[Loki882]

No, I don't think that it will make as much as the first one. Avatar was in many ways a freak of nature movie-wise. It shocked the experts both at how much money it made, and how long it stayed either at #1 or at least in the top 5. But I also don't think that the sequel has to make as much as the first to be really successful.

 

[CB Fan]

If Cameron can make a film that is more or just as beautiful visual wise and actually have great original stories to tell the movies are not going to have a problem bringing in money. When the sequel comes out people are going to crowd the movie theaters in those first few weeks and if they are impressed with what they see they will spread the word and come back for repeat viewings. I fully believe that Avatar 2 will be as much an event as the first was if not more, the sequels after that could be a different story as it all depends on the film before to keep momentum going. If even one of the sequels sucks that's probably going to be it in terms of the other movies making as much.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

All the people talking crap will still be in line when the movie is released. Who are they trying to kid?

Pretty much. If it looks good, all these critics will see it in theaters. I'm not a huge fan of the movie, but seeing people still trash the movie like it killed their family or like it's Green Lantern or B&R is pretty funny.

Not me. I'll just rent it when it's on Blu-ray.

I won't be. I walked into Avatar jacked for it. And walked out thinking wow that was complete garbage. So no, I will not even think about going

And yet, 4 years later, you two are in a thread still discussing the movie. I really doubt either of you are actually going to stay away.

I agree.

There's a lot I like about the movie. I don't revisit it often though.

Same here. I haven't watched it since it was last on Cinemax (or HBO, or one of those channels) 3 years ago. I don't hate it, and I'll watch it if it's on TV, but Avatar's not a movie I would go out of my way to watch. I still think it's a solid movie from Cameron.

 

[Snow Queen]

And yet, 4 years later, you two are in a thread still discussing the movie. I really doubt either of you are actually going to stay away.

I've made maybe 2 posts, now 3 because I've been watching in case someone replied and didn't want to seem rude by not replying, mostly out of boredom. I haven't really discussed the film, only said I'll probably wait for rental. I'll be fine staying away. Theater prices are expensive and there will be better films I'd want to see, or just say home and watch something else. Either way, the world of Avatar didn't interest me enough, nor did the story or characters or really anything about it, so this is a rental at most for me.

 

[:eek:]

Zoe Saldana Talks Avatar Sequels


Recently confirmed to be taking not two but three trips back to Pandora, Zoe Saldana says that the stories for the upcoming Avatar sequels made her and series creator James Cameron very emotional, though she's looking forward to the return.

"I went down to the studio that they've been setting up for the past three years. It was wonderful," Saldana told MTV. "Jim took us and gave us a tour of all the reference pictures, telling us the stories. I haven't been able to read the scripts. They're still working on them. We kind of get choked up. [Cameron] gets emotional telling us about the story. I get emotional hearing about it, so I'm looking forward to it."

Saldana also mentioned that she wasn't surprised about her character Neytiri returning for the film's sequels saying she's known for some time.

"I knew. I knew for a while. Then it was confirmed last fall when they approached us, already telling us these are the dates, lock yourself, we would like you to start getting ready around this time."

Saldana will be joined by Sam Worthington and Stephen Lang​ in the sequels. With all three Avatar sequels shooting back-to-back, director James Cameron has hired several writers to work on the individual screenplays including Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planets of the Apes) and Shane Salerno (Savages, Salinger)​. The release of the first follow-up will be in December 2016, with the second to follow in December 2017, and the third a year later.

Cameron and Jon Landau will produce Avatar 2, 3, and 4 through Lightstorm Entertainment for Twentieth Century Fox.

 

[:eek:]

James Cameron Gives Update on the Avatar Sequels


James Cameron recently talked to RTL (via MarketSaw) about the upcoming three sequels to Avatar, the top grossing movie of all time with $2.782 billion at the worldwide box office.

"We're still in the early stages. Right now we're developing the software. I'm writing the scripts. We're designing all the creatures and characters and the settings, and so on. So, I'm not actually directing yet, but I'm doing all the other creative processes that lead up to that," Cameron said.

He added that he thinks "it's going very well. I think it's going to be spectacular. You'll see new worlds, new habitats, new cultures. The primary conflict between the human view kind of dominating nature and the Na'vi view of being integrated into nature is the same, but it manifests itself in very different ways."

As far as the tech behind the upcoming films, they have greatly reduced how long one movie will take to make. "The first film� took almost four years to make. We expect to be able to accelerate the process quite a bit, because we've improved a lot of the software and the computer graphics tools, and we've been working very closely with Weta Digital down here in New Zealand developing a whole new suite of tools to speed up the process."

Cameron also said they are "looking at high frame rate. I'm studying that. I haven't made a final decision yet, whether the entire film will be made at high frame rate or parts of it. You know, we'll be shooting at a native resolution of probably 4K and so then there should be a lot of true 4K theaters by then as well."

So what can we expect story wise? "The thing that's great about 'Avatar,' it's such a rich world, I can explore any theme or any idea that I want. Once you've got the characters that an audience loves, it's great to surprise them and make changes and turns that they don't expect. And you don't have to spend so much time of the movie setting up all that stuff, because the audience will remember from the previous film."

 

[dark_b]

it would be funny if the whole movie was rendered in 4k hahahah. cheaper my ass.

 

[spider-neil]

I think the sequel (but not 3 and 4) has every chance of beating the originals box office as Avatar is a true event movie and there is a 4 year gap to build up anticipation. The novelty however will probably wear off for movie 3.

 

[DA_Champion]

I really believe that there are more interesting stories to tell.

 

[-JKR-]

I liked the first film, but still think that three sequels is overkill. I would have prefered James Cameron to make Battle Angel: Alita. With Cameron on board, it could've easily been another smash hit.

 

[Loki882]

Isn't it two sequels and a prequel? I remember Cameron saying that he was interested in doing a prequel. As for making four movies, it CAN work provided that Cameron has an interesting/compelling story to tell that can be stretched over four movies.

 

[matrix_ghost]

The Avatar director urged filmmakers to “go nuts” with 3D and predicts the medium will come “roaring back” to the home market.

“I’m going to open up my depth more on the Avatar sequels,” he revealed. “In my defence, I thought I might be making a three-hour movie and nobody had ever gone more than 90 minutes so we didn’t know if people were going to go crosseyed and have their eyeballs melt. Now we know good stereo is good stereo and you can watch it indefinitely.”

 

[Lord]

DId they start filming yet?

 

[matrix_ghost]

DId they start filming yet?

2nd half of 2014 is when the start with the performance capture.

 

[Lord]

Then i guess the 2016 release date may have some truth after all. What do you guess the title will be? I think James Cameron mentioned that it wouldn't be Avatar 2

 

[Teelie]

The Avatar director urged filmmakers to “go nuts” with 3D and predicts the medium will come “roaring back” to the home market.

People's eyes won't melt but they'll get eye strain, headaches, dizziness, nausea and a few other minor inconveniences from 3 hours of faux-3D.

 

[Lord]

Since 2009 people have seen worse, so Cameron is free to go nuts However he wants now.

 

[Loki882]

Yeah, I really don't like 3D, but even I'll admit that the 3D in Avatar was some of the better that I've seen, and actually appropriate (unlike some other movies).

 

[:eek:]

Director James Cameron Talks Avatar Sequels, Shoots Down Rumors

Source: Reddit
April 12, 2014




Taking part in an AMA on Reddit, filmmaker James Cameron took a few minutes to discuss the scripts for the upcoming sequels to Avatar, which are currently in pre-production in New Zealand.

"The second, third and fourth films all go into production simultaneously," he wrote. "They're essentially all in preproduction now, because we are designing creatures, settings, and characters that span all three films. And we should be finished with all three scripts within the next, I would say, six weeks....The biggest pressure I feel right now is cutting out things - I love to get the film down to a length that is affordable. There hasn't been a problem finding new and wonderful things to include in the movie."

Cameron also shot down the rumor from September of last year that Arnold Schwarzenegger would appear as a villain in the film.

"As of right now, he and I have not discussed it, and I don't see a role as the scripts are coming together that would be appropriate for him, so I would say probably not."

The individual scripts for the "Avatar" sequels are being penned by a number of different writers along with Cameron including Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planets of the Apes) and Shane Salerno (Savages, Salinger)​. The release of the first follow-up will be released in December 2016, with the second to follow in December 2017, and the third a year later. Actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Stephen Lang are all set to reprise their roles from the first film

 

[mclay18]

I wonder what Cameron means by "affordable." Is each movie going to be $200M-$250M apiece, less than that, or more? Surely he can be more articulate than that.

And I can't see him slashing his asking price, what with Titanic and the first Avatar being the box-office phenomenons they were. Three sequels? He'll be raking in enough to buy ten private islands.

 

[DA_Champion]

I wonder what Cameron means by "affordable." Is each movie going to be $200M-$250M apiece, less than that, or more? Surely he can be more articulate than that.

And I can't see him slashing his asking price, what with Titanic and the first Avatar being the box-office phenomenons they were. Three sequels? He'll be raking in enough to buy ten private islands.

I heard they're costing 450 million total.

 

[DA_Champion]

Director James Cameron Talks Avatar Sequels, Shoots Down Rumors

Source: Reddit
April 12, 2014




Taking part in an AMA on Reddit, filmmaker James Cameron took a few minutes to discuss the scripts for the upcoming sequels to Avatar, which are currently in pre-production in New Zealand.

"The second, third and fourth films all go into production simultaneously," he wrote. "They're essentially all in preproduction now, because we are designing creatures, settings, and characters that span all three films. And we should be finished with all three scripts within the next, I would say, six weeks....The biggest pressure I feel right now is cutting out things - I love to get the film down to a length that is affordable. There hasn't been a problem finding new and wonderful things to include in the movie."

Cameron also shot down the rumor from September of last year that Arnold Schwarzenegger would appear as a villain in the film.

"As of right now, he and I have not discussed it, and I don't see a role as the scripts are coming together that would be appropriate for him, so I would say probably not."

The individual scripts for the "Avatar" sequels are being penned by a number of different writers along with Cameron including Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planets of the Apes) and Shane Salerno (Savages, Salinger)​. The release of the first follow-up will be released in December 2016, with the second to follow in December 2017, and the third a year later. Actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Stephen Lang are all set to reprise their roles from the first film

I have deep respect for Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver.

But Shane Salerno also wrote Alien vs Predator 2.

 

[:eek:]

I wonder what Cameron means by "affordable." Is each movie going to be $200M-$250M apiece, less than that, or more? Surely he can be more articulate than that.

And I can't see him slashing his asking price, what with Titanic and the first Avatar being the box-office phenomenons they were. Three sequels? He'll be raking in enough to buy ten private islands.

He's talking about the length of the movies, not the cost of them. He says: I love to get the film down to a length that is affordable. There hasn't been a problem finding new and wonderful things to include in the movie."