James Cameron Says Avatar: The Way of Water Will Easily Pass Breakeven, Meaning He Will Have to Do Sequels

James Cameron says that Avatar: The Way of Water will pass the breakeven point. That means he's going to have to do those sequels. This week's episode of Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? Featured the legendary filmmaker on HBO Max and CNN. In the conversation, the idea of that lofty $2 billion target for The Way of Water came up. While the movie might not earn all of that, it's far exceeded any understandable expectation at the box office. So, that means Avatar 3 and 4 roll forward. Cameron has already filmed the third installment and shared that some of 4 is in the can too. But, he's going to be more than a little busy moving forward.

"It looks like just with the momentum that the film has now that will easily pass our breakeven in the next few days, actually, so so it looks like I can't wiggle out of this, I'm gonna have to do these other these other sequels," Cameron admitted. "And I'm sure that we'll have a discussion soon, you know, with with the top folks that Disney about, you know, the game plan going forward for Avatar 3, which is already in the can we've already captured and photographed the whole film. And then avatar four and five are both written we even have some of four in the can. So you know, I think we can see that that I think we've begun a franchise at this point."

Wallace joked that it would be crushing to be locked into it for decades, but also wondered how much it would have stung to leave the story hanging. Cameron didn't exactly see it that way. He knows all of this can change on a dime.

"Not so bad. I mean look, I understand this business and I understand the vagaries of it and the variables and you know the old expression you know, man proposes God disposes you never quite know what's going to happen," the director admitted. "I also believe in planning for the upside not not sort of just making a movie Herky jerky and then waiting to see what happens but plan for the upside and then accept that if it doesn't work."

Cameron Acknowledges He Might Only Make Sequels Going Forward

In a chat with Empire Magazine, RRR director S. S. Rajamouli asked Cameron about whether the success of Avatar and it's sequels would lock him into only doing these movies. While possibly true, the Way of Water director has already made peace with that possibility. Basically, there will always be stories that you wanted to tell as a creator.

"Two thoughts in answer to your question: the first is that the world of Avatar is so sprawling that I can tell most of the stories I want to tell within it and try many of the stylistic techniques that I hope to explore." Cameron said, "And secondly, yes... our time as artists is finite. I will always mourn some of the stories that I don't get to make."

How many Avatar sequels do you think they will make? Let us know down below!