James Cameron has stated he will hold a press conference to disclose the storylines for 'Avatar 4' and 'Avatar 5' if the 'Avatar' franchise concludes after the third installment, 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. The director emphasized that the series' continuation hinges on the financial performance of the current film. Despite concerns, 'Fire and Ash' has already surpassed $500 million at the global box office in its first week.
James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director behind the 'Avatar' saga, shared his contingency plan during a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly amid the release of 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', the third film in the franchise now in theaters. Cameron has repeatedly highlighted the precarious state of theatrical releases, noting the industry's challenges in a tough year for cinemas.
"I don’t know if the saga goes beyond this point. I hope it does," Cameron told EW. "But, you know, we prove that business case every time we go out… If we don’t get to make 4 and 5, for whatever reason, I’ll hold a press conference and I’ll tell you what we were gonna do. How’s that?"
As an alternative, Cameron mentioned he might adapt the unproduced scripts into novels, given the depth of world-building involved. "There’s so much culture and backstory and lateral detail in these characters that’s been worked out. I’d love to do something that’s at that level of granular detail."
In a separate Variety interview, Cameron cautioned against speculating on future entries, saying, "we’re getting ahead of ourselves" since the team must first succeed with 'Fire and Ash'. He pointed to recent hits like 'Wicked: For Good' and 'Zootopia 2' as signs of recovery but stressed the need to "prove this crazy business case yet again." The first two 'Avatar' films each exceeded $2 billion worldwide, setting a high bar.
Encouragingly, 'Fire and Ash' has crossed $500 million globally after one week and is projected to maintain momentum into the new year. Late producer Jon Landau revealed in 2022 that 'Avatar 5' would bring the Na’vi to Earth to broaden perspectives, including Neytiri's.
On directing, Cameron remains open, telling Empire in 2022 that the role is "all-consuming" and he might pass the baton from 'Avatar 4'. However, he recently affirmed, "there’s no reason not to" helm them himself, adding, "I’m healthy, I’m good to go. I’m not going to rule it out." If he can sustain the intensity for another six or seven years, he plans to continue.