James Cameron has lost it

[Caligula]

I guess he figures if Michael Bay can stick around for four special effects-laden franchise films that left the script at the door, so can he. Especially when/if they all make a shitload of money. I waited for DVD on the first one, as the trailers never piqued my interest. I may do the same with the inevitable sequels, but I make no promises.

Meanwhile, doing three sequels gives Cameron a chance at monopolizing the top five in all-time box office, a feat that to my knowledge has never been achieved by one director (Spielberg & Lucas did it in the early 80's). At least not in the modern era.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I won't say Cameron has lost it until he flops hard. The man pulls record profits on ventures I've thought crazy.

 

[MacLeod]

Well weren't the naysayers out in force about the budget for Ttanic that'll it be a flop, same for Avatar, this film is way over budget it'll never turn a proft. Remind me again what's the takins for those 2 films ~US$5bn worldwide, and they cost what about 10% of that US$500m.

Cameron at the moment can basically write his own cheque to film a movie (well until he has a major flop)

 

[Candlelight]

He's making them primarily in New Zealand and giving heaps of locals jobs.

He can make 10 for all I care.

 

[Candlelight]

Wait, Sigourney is in it?? She's dead Jim!

And dammit, if she's doing three sequels of this when I she gonna have time to film Alien V????

 

[Kegg]

That's overdoing it, and I think people will be burnt out on avatar long before that happens.

Like you said yourself, Avatar's not a superhero flick, and it seems that every year we have a half-dozen of those starring Z-list latex-clad nobodies which still rake in dough (to generalize and grossly exaggerate for the sake of it).

Avatar is frankly a lot closer to Star Wars: Epic spectacle and adventure, with a story ripped right from the pulps. And like Star Wars, it had a self-contained story where a guy becomes a hero and beats the evil bad guys in their current scheme without wiping them out.

I think it's clear that the sequels will likely build on each other, creating some kind of conflict - like humanity's interest in unobtainium manifesting in different corporations trying to take an interest in the Pandora system - that'll run the movies.

Likewise, sure, Jake Sully has shed his human body and become a Na'vi (and a good Na'vi, at that) but he could probably become a better Na'vi and need more guidance or whatever, just like although Luke Skywalker seemed pretty much done with the Obi-Wan stuff at the end of Star Wars they threw in Yoda to keep it going in subsequent films.

 

[Noname Given]

I liked Avatar more than most. It has flaws but was actually an entertaining science fiction movie from one of the masters of the genre, and I'm so glad it's not a superhero flick.

That said, has Cameron gone crazy?

I knew he was making two sequels to the film to make it a trilogy, but now, he is planning on three sequels.

Three?

WTF?

That's overdoing it, and I think people will be burnt out on avatar long before that happens.

Pocahontas In Space parts II, III, and IV? -- No thanks.

 

[Klaus]

My preferred title is Dances With Smurfs.

Nope, one was more than enough for me.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

THree movies at one time? Seems overkill for this universe. At least focus on getting a really good sequel first.

 

[Trekker4747]

James Cameron can't hear you, he's too busy swimming in his Money Pit to really care.

 

[Kelthaz]

James Cameron is making sequels to a film that grossed over $2 billion in theatres? Good heavens!

*faints*

 

[Snaploud]

Filming multiple films at once, whilst not without it's drawbacks does have one key advantage. The actors can't ask for more money between films.

It can also save a ton of money in production costs (see: the Lord of the Rings trilogy).

 

[Trekker4747]

Cameron could probably pull it off but usually when sequels are filmed at the same time the results aren't good. (See: The Matrix and to a lesser extent Back to the Future.) Can't comment on the LOTR movies but given the support and such they have obviously Jackson was able to pull it off, I think Cameron may be able to as well but... Well, we'll see.

 

[RoJoHen]

The Matrix sequels were extremely well-made and looked fantastic. It's their stories that were awful. I doubt filming them separately would have changed that.

And for what it's worth, I would take BTTF 2 and 3 over the first one any day.

 

[Trekker4747]

The Matrix sequels were extremely well-made and looked fantastic. It's their stories that were awful. I doubt filming them separately would have changed that.

But that's just it, the story were written to span two movies instead of each movie having to stand on its own merit with its own story.

 

[Dream]

Cameron wants his Avatar franchise to be his Star Wars. Too bad the characters in Avatar are so completely unmemorable.

 

[Trekker4747]

Cameron wants his Avatar franchise to be his Star Wars. Too bad the characters in Avatar are so completely unmemorable.

Oh, come on! There was... that one guy who rode the dragon bird. He was cool.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I don't see how Cameron wanting to tell more stories in this universe that he's invested 15+ years and several technical advancements into creating, and which has incidentally grossed over a billion dollars, is indicative of him "losing it."

That being said, I'm a little bummed that this will be his focus for the better part of this decade rather than applying his talents to some other franchises or new universes of his own.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Yeah, let's see...

Guy makes the most successful movie in history, a worldwide success.

Guy figures that he can make three more without wearing out public interest.

Clearly he's nuts.

It's not like there have been long-running series based on films that were reasonably successful but not nearly so much so as Avatar - nothing like a formulaic series of movies about a British spy, for example, or ten creaky movies based on a cancelled space opera TV show...

 

[ManOnTheWave]

James Cameron can't hear you, he's too busy swimming in his Money Pit to really care.

Swimming? Feh. He's sitting in his private submarine submerged in his Money Pit.

That being said, I'm a little bummed that this will be his focus for the better part of this decade rather than applying his talents to some other franchises or new universes of his own.

I may be way behind the curve here, but didn't Cameron release a statement not two months back that he's retiring from these kinds of films post Avatar sequels?