After the release of AVATAR in 2009, the next installment of the franchise encountered several delays as James Cameron and his team hammered out the scripts to what would become four movies, and now, according to Sigourney Weaver when she spoke to THR, they may actually start shooting later this year.
At a recent screening of THE ASSIGNMENT, which Sigourney Weaver stars in alongside Michelle Rodriguez, Weaver excitedly told THR that "we're starting!" Weaver added that the cast have "starting training, and we’re starting — hm, I probably can’t say anything. We will be actually shooting it by the fall." Those of you who have been eagerly awaiting more adventures with Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) on Pandora will be pleased to see the sequels moving forward, but we still have a bit of a wait ahead of us before we actually see the first sequel in theaters as James Cameron recently ruled out the expected Christmas 2018 release.
I certainly wouldn't count AVATAR among James Cameron's best work, but I did enjoy the film for what it was and still have fond memories of witnessing the grand spectacle unfold on a giant screen. I remain unconvinced that AVATAR needs a sequel, let alone four, but I'm more than willing to give Cameron the benefit of the doubt and wait to see what he's cooked up; after all, he certainly seems passionate about the world. As for Sigourney Weaver, she seems very pumped to be returning.
I’m telling you, these scripts are so amazing, I’m not worried about [disappointing fans] at all. Am I worried about how we’re going to bring them to life? Yes, because they’re so ambitious. They’re so worth it. They're well worth waiting for. I’m not worried about that at all. We’re trying to get it done as quickly as possible.
Although we're no longer certain when AVATAR will return to theaters, THE ASSIGNMENT will receive a limited-theatrical release on April 7, 2017. Check out a review of the Walter Hill movie from our own Chris Bumbray when he caught the flick at TIFF 2016.