This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply. Deadline is reporting that James Cameron has begun production on four Avatar sequels: It is not only unprecedented in number — Peter Jackson shot three of The Lord of the Rings installments together — it also will be the most expensive shoot of its kind, at an estimated collective budget expected to surpass $1 billion. Expand - View Original
I can see them making back the $1 billion budget with the first 2 sequels. But yeah, not sure how this will do over 4 films that pretty much zero people are asking for.
As someone who really enjoyed the first for its beautiful visuals and technology, shit like this is the reason I'm no longer excited for movies. No story ever ends, and if it does, here comes the spinoff.
I remember when people claimed the first was gonna be the new Star Wars. Then it had zero cultural impact. Ten years later and nobody cares for a sequel
obviously they're hoping that the response to this is the same as the response to the first. but i still find it astounding that they're actually funding this. the first one came and went so quickly it had zero impact other than boasting its box office returns. even people who were all about it admitted the story was mediocre and predictable at best, and the visuals were the best thing going for it. i think a lot of it is probably due to "how do you say no to James Cameron?" but i wish that at least someone was like hey, let's do one more and then see what happens. the way he's approaching them, filming them all at the same time, there's not even a chance to look at each one and take criticism, see what works and what doesn't, what needs to be adjusted for future sequels, etc. like worst case scenario, say the second one comes out and completely flops, critically and financially (maybe a long shot but just for the sake of example), now you're stuck releasing three more movies that people DEFINITELY don't want, or spending even more money on massive reshoots. if the guy really wants to make more of these, fine. it's his thing, he can do what he wants with it. but the production strategy is not the smartest.
How many people still talk about the first Avatar film? I can count the number of people I personally know on one hand.
Same. If I really strain my brain hard enough and try to remember, I believe it was basically Ferngully with Sigourney Weaver and some blue people?
I liked the first one. Seeing it in IMAX 3D was a spectacle. The writing was trash but honestly Cameron always has cheesy dialogue. I would have been game for a sequel 6 or 7 years ago.
I guess I'm the only person excited for this. I don't expect it to have amazing writing or some groundbreaking plot but it's going to be visually stunning and I guarantee you all will get suckered into seeing it.
One consideration: this summer, Disney opened up Avatar Land in the Animal Kingdom. Rides for the lines, even as the park opened and during 'extra magic hours' (in case you're unfamiliar, are hours the park is open only for those who are staying at a Disney property resort, which means the crowds are half or less than normal), were 3+ hours for the rides. I was there a month after it opened too. Also, it was great. I don't like Avatar. Avatar Land at Disney? Amazing. By the time these films come out, there will be literal years of kids who are fans because they rode a couple (fantastic) rides and bought some memorabilia and toys while on vacation. The audience may not exist right now, but give Disney a few years here, and it will by the time the sequels are being released.
Avatar felt like it was in cinemas for 6 months, and then I never saw it anywhere ever again. Four sequels might be a bit much.
I'm salty about this because Cameron sat on the rights for Battle Angel Alita for like 8 years while developing these. On the other hand, my dad is a HUGE nerd for visual effects and is obsessed with James Cameron, and I know he's going to be over the moon about this, so it's hard to be too salty. But I have to say, I saw the first one in theaters probably 3-4 times because different groups of friends wanted to see it, but I couldn't even tell you the names of the characters without Google.