With only two films in James Cameron’s Avatar series since 2009, it is challenging to imagine the existence of five installments by 2031, let alone two more movies later. That’s right, folks. I said two more movies! According to James Cameron, he has ideas for Avatar 6 and Avatar 7, but there’s a twist. Instead of dedicating the remainder of his mortality to the effects-driven, money-printing franchise, he could pass the torch to another filmmaker.

Speaking with Collider about the Avatar franchise’s future, Cameron said, “We’re fully written through movie five, and I’ve got ideas for six and seven, although I’ll probably be handing the baton on at that point,” he said. “I mean, mortality catches up. But I mean, we’re enjoying what we’re doing. We’re loving it. We get to work with great people.”

Mine some coal for the fires of speculation, folks, because the question of who could replace Cameron on the Avatar franchise is officially burning bright. Who would Cameron trust with the keys to his kingdom? Think about the Avatar lore, the technology associated with making the franchise’s eye-popping effects, and seemingly endless product tie-ins. It’s a tremendous amount of responsibility. The crash course Cameron would need to prep already has my head spinning.

Meanwhile, Avatar 3 is in post-production, with a projected 2025 theatrical release date. The third chapter of the sci-fi film series stars Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoë Saldaña as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, Kate Winslet as Ronal, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss as Tuk, Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, Joel David Moore as Dr. Norm Spellman, Britain Dalton as Lo’ak, Edie Falco as General Frances Ardmore, Jack Champion as Spider, and Jemaine Clement as Dr. Ian Garvin.

Regarding the forthcoming sequel with Variety in January 2023, Cameron said Avatar 3 introduces fans to a new clan living in Pandora called the “Ash People.” Cameron is particularly excited about the next chapter because it will explore “different cultures from those I have already shown. The fire will be represented by the ‘Ash People.’ I want to show the Na’vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides.”

Elaborating on his plan for the third film, Cameron added, “In the early films, there are very negative human examples and very positive Na’vi examples. In Avatar 3, we will do the opposite. We will also explore new worlds, while continuing the story of the main characters. I can say that the last parts will be the best. The others were an introduction, a way to set the table before serving the meal.”

While I’m not 100% committed to the world of Avatar, I admire Cameron’s passion for the concept, and the technology associated with the franchise is second to none. It should be interesting to see how the Avatar franchise evolves and who will take the series over when Cameron inevitably retires.

Who could take the Avatar helm from James Cameron? A seasoned veteran? A filmmaker we’ve yet to meet? The possibilities are endless. Let us know if you have any suggestions in the comments section below.

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