At CinemaCon this week, director James Cameron announced that there will be four Avatar sequels (as opposed to the previously planned three), with the first to open Christmas of 2018, and the remaining sequels opening in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Cameron said each of the four sequels will be able to stand alone, but will together create a saga.
“We have decided to embark on a truly massive cinematic process. I’ve been working the last couple of years with a team of four top screenwriters to design the world of ‘Avatar’ going forward: The characters, the creatures, the environment, the new cultures. So far, the art I’m seeing, is in pure imagination, really far beyond the first film. It’s going to be a true epic saga.””
As far as why four sequels were required, Cameron said as he was planning the three sequels, he found it limiting.
“We began to bump up against the limitations for our art form.”
The original 2009 film earned $2.8 billion worldwide, so sequels were inevitable. In addition to the film sequels, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is developing the controversial Avatar Land, which is currently under construction. Many hardcore Disney parks fans don’t believe the fictional Pandora belongs at the realistically themed park.