While James Cameron proceeds to promote his newest film of 13 years, he and fellow director Robert Rodriguez take part in Variety‘s Director on Director video series where Rodriguez interviews Cameron on Avatar: The Way of Water. The two have been friends for years and had collaborated on a movie based on the popular manga, titled Alita: Battle Angel. The project was an ambitious one, using CGI to composite human actors with various mechanical parts in an extravagant future dystopian world.
The movie would go on to make $400 million worldwide, and while that is enormous numbers, Disney has been dragging their feet on greenlighting a sequel. The directors were very passionate about this property, though, and the movie is not without its fans clamoring for a sequel. Just as the producer of the film recently stated their optimal chances for a sequel, now the directors have humorously sworn in a blood oath that they will make a sequel in the Director video.
Alita was meant to set up a franchise, and the film even ends on a note that lays the groundwork for a direct follow-up, however, Disney’s navigation through several other franchises, as well as internal politics with the top brass dealing with the studio’s finances and the future of their film slate, both Cameron and Rodriguez would go on to fill their time with their own pursuits. Cameron is obviously entrenched in Avatar sequels, as the director just finished filming part 3 and a good chunk of part 4.
However, as a producer, Cameron has been able to veer off into side projects every now and then. He would also return to the franchise that helped launch his career with Terminator: Dark Fate. Rodriguez would continue to work with Disney, but it would be on Star Wars series spin-offs for the studio’s streaming platform, Disney+. He would direct episodes of its hit show, The Mandolorian, which spun off its own show with the popular character Boba Fett in the series, The Book of Boba Fett, which he also directed episodes for.
What do you think? Are you eagerly waiting for an Alita sequel? Sound off below!