After close to a decade of teasing and waiting, the Avatar sequels are finally set to head into production. The follow up(s) to James Cameron‘s record-breaking 2009 film will begin Monday, September 25.
Scheduling setbacks have forced production back constantly, despite Cameron saying that his writing work on all four sequels has already been completed. Naturally, it’s easier to write four multi-million dollar sequels than it is to actually film them.
The grand plan is to film the multiple sequels back to back, which could mean the series potentially running all the way until 2025. Although it’s fun to joke about how long it’s taken the sequels to get made, it’s worth raising the point about how much the cinematic landscape has changed since Cameron’s film exploded at the box office in late 2009.
One of the reasons Avatar was able to break the record for highest grossing film was that it re-introduced 3D to the public, driving up ticket prices and creating an immersive experience. Since then however, the 3D novelty has worn off considerably and studios are far more focused on interconnected franchises. It seems odd to think that the first Iron Man film was released only a year prior to Avatar.
Whether the Avatar sequels will have the same impact the original film had – is the audience still there now that the 3D novelty is not? Has the superhero revolution suppressed interest in sci-fi epics? – is yet to be seen. Cameron certainly has a history of staggering box office success – his last two films broke the record for highest grossing film of all time.
At least now with production of the sequels set to get underway, the real waiting can finally begin. Will Avatar 2 capture the imagination of audiences like its predecessor? We’ll find out on December 18, 2020.
#Peace.Love.Avatar
