When Avatar: The Way of Water hit theaters in 2022, there was plenty of skepticism about whether the movie would be able to recapture what had made the first film the highest grossing movie of all time back in 2009. Director James Cameron proved everyone wrong, though, and The Way of Water was a massive success (and it’s one of the best movies on Disney+).
Now, following a massive update from Disney about the third Avatar movie, which will be called Avatar: Fire & Ash, Cameron has also weighed in on the fourth and fifth films in his planned franchise. Rumors had been swirling that Cameron may step away from the director’s chair for those final two installments, but he’s now putting those rumors to bed. In a call with The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron says that he plans to see the series through if it’s possible.
“Sure. Absolutely. I mean, they’re going to have to stop me. I got plenty of energy, love doing what I’m doing,” he said. “Why would I not? And they’re written, by the way. I just reread both of them about a month ago. They’re cracking stories. They’ve got to get made. Look, if I get hit by a bus and I’m in an iron lung, somebody else is going to do it.”
Those fourth and fifth movies are currently slated for 2029 and 2031 respectively, and Cameron is currently 69 years old. Having said that, both Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese have worked well into their 70s, and it seems like Cameron is driven to do exactly that. Previous Avatar films have faced some delays, though, and if they get delayed, there’s no saying when they might eventually hit theaters. Whenever they do, though, here’s hoping Cameron is still around to see them with a crowd.
