The Playlist

Discuss: Are You Actually Looking Forward To The 'Avatar' Sequels? James Cameron Offers Minor Update

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
March 18, 2013 3:58 PM
|
16 Comments

News

There are exactly 2,782,275,172 reasons that Fox is going ahead with "Avatar" sequels -- yes, that is monumental worldwide box office for James Cameron's smash hit film. A technological wonder upon release, and responsible for ushering the onslaught of 3D movies to the multiplex, there is sound financial reason for the studio to press onward. And certainly, with the film moving units on home video (where it has already cycled through a couple different releases), it suggests that audiences are willing to return to Pandora. While the studio had initially set "Avatar 2" for a December 2014 release, followed in 2015 by part three, last summer it was revealed that wasn't going to happen, with 2015 said to be the earliest that any of the sequels might surface. And one reason why? Cameron is still writing the thing(s).

More:

Folks Behind 'Avatar' & 'Drive Angry' Teaming To Write Megan Ellison's New 'Terminator' Movie

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
January 17, 2013 1:58 PM
|
1 Comment

News

While Megan Ellison has made her name on working with auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson, Harmony Korine and Kathryn Bigelow, she's got blockbuster aspirations. Way back in the spring of 2011, she snapped up the rights to the "The Terminator" franchise, and while there has been plenty of speculation and rumor, there hasn't been much in the way of action. But last month, movement began with her brother David Ellison of Skydance ("Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," "Jack Reacher," "Star Trek Into Darkness") teaming up with her on "The Terminator," and now the project is taking on some fresh blood.

More:

James Cameron Aims To Start Filming 'Avatar' Sequels In Late 2013, May Shoot In 48fps

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
November 28, 2012 2:53 PM
|
5 Comments

News

Oh yeah, this is still happening. With Marvel, "Justice League" and "Star Wars" gobbling up the franchise headlines in recent weeks and months, it's easy to forget that another mega serires is just waiting around the corner, with James Cameron getting ready to expand his "Avatar" universe. Right now the plan is for two sequels that will likely shoot back-to-back, with the possibility of an "Avatar 4" prequel (though even if it does happen, it won't be part of the "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3" production"). And while "Avatar 2" was initially slated for a December 2014 release, that timeline was bumped back earlier this year, and now it seems we might have some idea of when it will arrive.

More:

5 New 'Life Of Pi' Images Plus Ang Lee & James Cameron Talk 3D In New Featurette

By Edward Davis
|
November 16, 2012 4:21 PM
|
0 Comments

News

James Cameron is to 3D what Lyle Lanley is to monorails (sort of). Okay, he's not a total huckster per se. But is it just me, or is it semi-amusing that Cameron always surfaces in support of his beloved 3D when there's a good movie in theaters that uses the technology well (i.e. the last time he did this was when Scorsese did "Hugo")? I'm being glib and facetious, but Cameron isn't just going to endorse any old mediocre cash-grab 3D conversion (he hasn't been around to advocate Marvel films for example), but he'll always stop what he's doing to help get the word out when a real artisan is using the sterescopic tool -- hence appearing in this new featurette for Ang Lee's dazzling "Life of Pi."

More:

James Cameron Decides He Will Make Movies Besides 'Avatar' Sequels, Signs Up To Direct 'The Informationist'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
October 23, 2012 3:15 PM
|
9 Comments

News

"I’ve divided my time over the last 16 years over deep ocean exploration and filmmaking. I’ve made two movies in 16 years, and I’ve done eight expeditions. Last year I basically completely disbanded my production company’s development arm. So I’m not interested in developing anything. I’m in the 'Avatar' business. Period. That’s it. I’m making 'Avatar 2,' 'Avatar 3,' maybe 'Avatar 4,' and I’m not going to produce other people’s movies for them. I’m not interested in taking scripts," James Cameron said this spring. But you can't keep an ever-curious mind focused on just one thing, and it seems the writer/director is not just going to hang around Pandora for the rest of his career.

More:

'Die Hard,' 'The Rock,' 'Full Metal Jacket' & More: 5 Films Arnold Schwarzenegger Could Have Starred In

By Edward Davis
|
October 8, 2012 2:34 PM
|
15 Comments

News

The latest issue of Empire is simply overflowing with great material if you're a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger. There's a major interview, "Working With Arnie"; a feature about his weapons of choice and one-liners; "Exploring Predator" an awesome in-depth play-by-play about his seminal alien-in-the-jungle picture; "Surviving Commando" a movie that the magazine calls his most off-the-chain; and "Arnie Killed Me," a column tracking down all the bit-actors who were offed by Arnie in his various films. If you are at all a Schwarzenegger fan, the issue is a must.

More:

James Cameron Says He Wanted To Direct 'Jurassic Park,' Would've Been Like 'Aliens'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
September 13, 2012 11:57 AM
|
32 Comments

News

While we all not-so-anxiously await James Cameron to make his "Avatar" sequels that are becoming less anticipated with each passing moment, the director continues to a seemingly never ending press run. Whether it's chatting about "Titanic" or whatever latest adventure or cause he's taking on, it's never too long before another interview the king of the world director surfaces. But thankfully, his latest little soundbyte has nothing to do with Pandora, but instead about another film helmed by his pal Steven Spielberg.

More:

James Cameron Wants to Avoid 'Matrix: Reloaded' Issues With Stories For 'Avatar' 2 & 3

By Ryan Gowland
|
September 11, 2012 9:40 AM
|
0 Comments

News

It may be hard to recall these days the handful of movies that came out in 3-D before "Avatar." The film sent studios scrambling to post-convert as much of their slates as possible. As everyone on the planet knows, the film became the highest-grossing of all time and a worldwide phenomenon. So where are those sequels? Cameron has already decided to remain in the Na'vi business exclusively, but later announced that "Avatar 2" won't be ready until at least 2015.

More:

Producer Jon Landau Says 'Avatar 4' Won't Be Part Of Back-To-Back Sequel Shoot

By Drew Taylor
|
September 3, 2012 2:42 PM
|
1 Comment

News

What, exactly, is going on with James Cameron's "Avatar" sequels remains something of a mystery. Since the movie broke box office records in late 2009 (and reintroduced 3D in new and vital ways that few filmmakers have carried forward), it was largely assumed that there would be follow-up films and later it was confirmed that Fox would produce and release not one but two sequels, to be shot-back-to-back, tentatively scheduled for December 2014 and December 2015. But this summer Cameron made mention to the New York Times that "I'm making 'Avatar 2,' 'Avatar 3,' maybe 'Avatar 4.'" Well, not so fast. "Avatar" producer Jon Landau has gone on record as saying that Cameron's plan for a fourth movie might have been a little premature.

More:

Watch: James Cameron & David Fincher In More 'Side By Side' Outtakes In Advance Of Film's iTunes Release

By Charlie Schmidlin
|
August 21, 2012 10:46 AM
|
6 Comments

News

For cinephiles at least, one of the most anticipated releases of the summer is the Keanu Reeves-produced documentary “Side By Side,” not only for its essential film vs. digital debate, but even more for the incredible behind-the-scenes talent lined up for interviews. Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and Christopher Nolan all make appearances in the film, and now Tribeca Films have released the latest in their series of outtakes, this time featuring the inimitable director of “Avatar” and “Titanic.”

More: