Director James Cameron discusses future four Avatar films and motion capture beginning this summer.

Even though Avatar came out back in 2009 it still remains the highest grossing film worldwide by quite a large margin (and second domestically behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens).  Ever since that movie set the box office ablaze and revolutionized the 3d/iMax cinematic experience there has been talk of sequels.  The estimated release date, and number of, sequels has routinely been revised, but it appears as though we may finally have concrete news from the director himself, James Cameron.

Here’s an excerpt from his interview with The Daily Beast (via Screen Rant).   Prior to these comments below, Cameron was asked if he would ever consider directing a Star Wars or Marvel film (after all, he was famously attached to write/direct a Spider-Man trilogy prior to the McGuire/Raimi films before film right issues put a halt to that) to which he responded by saying “the slightest bit interested in laboring in someone else’s house.”  Here’s the Avatar comment that followed:

“The thing is, my focus isn’t on Avatar 2. My focus is on Avatar 2, 3, 4, and 5 equally. That’s exactly how I’m approaching it. They’ve all been developed equally. I’ve just finished the script to Avatar 5. I’m now starting the process of active prep. I’ll be working with the actors in the capture volume in August, so I’m booked in production every day between now and then. Our volume is up and running, and everything is designed, and so we’re going full-guns right now. I feel like I’ve been let out of jail, because I’ve been in the writing cave for the last two years. I’m actually enjoying life. I don’t enjoy writing. I wouldn’t wish writing on a dog.”

I liked Avatar enough, but it’s hard not to roll your eyes at the prospect of four more films being planned out.  After eight years is there still a strong audience for these movies?  You can never count James Cameron out because his last two movies still sit as the top two grossing films of all time at the worldwide box office.  What does he have up his sleeve for the future of the Avatar franchise?

Avatar 2 is set to be released December 2018 (with the remaining sequels set for Dec. 2020, 2022 and 2023), although this is subject to change.  They are beginning motion capture work this summer so perhaps that target date is still a possibility.  What are your thoughts on four more Avatar movies in our future?  Are you excited to see more adventures on Pandora?  Has the hype dissipated in the past eight years?  Share your opinions below.