Later, when Cameron was asked by Screen Rant about expanding Varang’s story in the next film, he compared the role to that of Payakan from the second installment, Avatar: The Way of Water.
Earlier today, during the Saturn Awards, James Cameron’s third installment in the Avatar series, Avatar: Fire and Ash, took home several major awards, including Best Science Fiction Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, and Best Young Performer for Jack Champion.
Cameron attended the event, and during a press conference, when asked about a sequel to the third film, he said it has not been confirmed yet but that it is “very likely” a sequel will happen. He also noted that the possibility of a fourth installment depends on audience feedback. He said, “To be perfectly clear, we haven’t even made a decision to move forward. But I should say that it’s likely, though not 100%. We will definitely learn from the lessons of all three films.”
Although Avatar: Fire and Ash has made $1.4 billion at the global box office, there has been speculation that its studio, The Walt Disney Company, may not have earned strong profits due to the film’s exorbitant production and marketing costs combined. The third installment also did not receive strong word-of-mouth from audiences, with many expressing disappointment over a plot they felt was similar to the previous two films and its runtime of 3 hours and 17 minutes being too long.
The uncertainty comes even though Disney has already pre-announced the release dates for the final two parts of the planned cinematic saga. Some reports have also noted that the first act of the upcoming fourth film has already been shot. Currently, Avatar 4 is scheduled for release on December 21, 2029, followed by a fifth film on December 19, 2031.
Later, when Cameron was asked by Screen Rant about expanding Varang’s story in the next film, he compared the role to that of Payakan from the second installment, Avatar: The Way of Water. He commented, “That’s a good problem to have when people are really responding to an element. In The Way of Water, people responded strongly to Payakan. He was literally the highest-rated character in the film. I didn’t tell the actors that, but it’s like, I guess we better put Payakan into Fire and Ash.”
Many fans of the franchise have also voiced their opinions on social media, saying they would like Cameron to work on other passion projects, such as the announced adaptation of Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles R. Pellegrino. Some also say they want to see another original film from Cameron, the last being Titanic in 1997.
This Article is written by Yoga Adithya, an intern at Deccan Chronicle.
