In an interview with Rolling Stone on 5/8, the Canadian director said, "For the past 20 years, my hope has been that Avatar can create something beneficial, making people respect and preserve the world around them,".
Instead of constantly exploring new genres, he chose to dedicate himself to one franchise for decades. According to Cameron, most moviegoers watch films for entertainment. However, with Avatar, the director embedded deeper reflections within the work. He called it a "Trojan horse strategy," drawing viewers into a vibrant visual world and evoking their emotions.
Avatar, first released in 2009, is currently the highest-grossing film of all time with USD 2.9 billion. The second installment, The Way of Water (2022), achieved great success, ranking third globally with USD 2.3 billion. According to Variety, the series maintains its relevance by warning about the consequences of war and environmental destruction. In the film, Earth is depicted as a barren planet after a series of acts of environmental degradation.
The greed for resource exploitation is illustrated through the military's destruction of the planet Pandora to find the mineral Unobtainium. Amidst the war for energy, what humanity truly craves is the flowing stream, the very water that the Na'vi people strive to protect. In 2010, Avatar was awarded the Environmental Media Association (EMA) award for Best Feature Film.
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Zoe Saldana (left) as the Na'vi warrior Neytiri. Photo: Disney Studios |
James Cameron, 71, is one of the most influential directors in Hollywood, known for blockbusters like Titanic, The Terminator, and Avatar. He is renowned for his visual thinking, emotionally rich storytelling, and pioneering spirit in applying film technology.
The last time Cameron directed a film other than Avatar was Titanic (1997). Devoting all his efforts to the Pandora universe has drawn mixed reactions from film enthusiasts. However, Cameron believes the film series is expansive enough to experiment with the styles and genres he desires.
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Director James Cameron. Photo: Lucy Nicholson |
Cameron is currently in post-production for the third installment, Fire and Ash, set to release on 19/12. The fourth installment is scheduled for release on 21/12/2029, and the final installment, Avatar 5, is slated for 19/12/2031.
Que Chi (according to Rolling Stone, Variety)
