Filmmaker James Cameron recently shared insights into the re-release of "Avatar: The Way of Water" and the ongoing production of the third film, "Avatar: Fire and Ash." He also discussed his perspective on artificial intelligence's role in creative fields, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human artists. The re-release of "The Way of Water" on October 3 aims to prepare audiences for the upcoming sequel.
Key Takeaways
- "Avatar: The Way of Water" re-releases on October 3, ahead of "Avatar: Fire and Ash."
- Cameron is refining VFX for "Fire and Ash," focusing on thematic consistency.
- He made a significant story change, reintroducing the Toruk into "Fire and Ash."
- Cameron strongly believes AI will not replace human artists in filmmaking.
- The future of the "Avatar" franchise beyond the third film depends on financial success.
Revisiting Pandora: The Way of Water's Return
James Cameron typically avoids re-watching his films immediately after their initial release. He prefers a "moratorium of a couple of years" to gain a fresh perspective, allowing him to view the movie more as an audience member and less as a critical filmmaker. However, the imminent release of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has required him to break this personal rule.
Cameron has been actively involved in the final stages of visual effects for the third film for the past two years. This process necessitates a re-evaluation of "The Way of Water" to ensure thematic and technical consistency, particularly concerning music and underscore during dialogue scenes. He confirmed that re-watching the film solidified his view that it offers a "pretty good ride."
Box Office Success
- "Avatar: The Way of Water" earned over $2.3 billion globally.
- It stands as one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
The Sully Family Saga Continues
"Avatar: The Way of Water," released in 2022, continued the story of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) from the 2009 original. The sequel, set 16 years later, introduces their five children. This includes an adopted daughter, Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), who was born from the avatar of Dr. Grace Augustine, and a human son, Spider (Jack Champion), orphaned after his biological parents died. Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) returns, resurrected in a Na'vi avatar, and relentlessly pursues the Sully family, placing Spider at the center of their conflict.
The Evolving Art of Visual Effects and AI's Role
Cameron discussed the intricate visual effects process, describing it as a deep dive into "minutia." He constantly scrutinizes details, from a foot brushing a fern to lighting interactions. This intense focus can sometimes obscure the overall emotional impact of a scene.
"My job all day long is to quantify minutia. I’m looking at a VFX shot: ‘OK, you see the way his foot comes down on that one fern and the way it brushes aside. I’m not quite buying that. I think you should re-sim that.’ It’s endless."
He is working to foster a more creative culture within his visual effects teams. Instead of focusing solely on technical execution, he encourages animators and lighters to consider the narrative purpose of each shot. This approach, which he calls a "first look final," aims for completed shots on the initial review, driven by the artists' deep understanding of the story. This shift began with "The Way of Water" and has become more prominent in "Fire and Ash."
Creative Culture in VFX
Cameron's push for a "creative culture" in visual effects emphasizes storytelling and the narrative purpose of each shot. This contrasts with a purely technical approach, aiming to empower artists to internalize the storytelling process and deliver high-quality, final shots more efficiently.
Why Human Artists Remain Essential
Cameron firmly believes that artificial intelligence will not replace human artists in filmmaking. He views AI as a tool but stresses that the creative process requires human control and artistic vision. According to Cameron, the ability of artists to internalize and drive the storytelling process is what makes the current VFX work on "Avatar" so successful and "joyful."
- Human Control: Artists maintain control over the creative process.
- Storytelling Magic: AI cannot replicate the "storytelling magic dust" that human artists bring.
- Unconscious Driver: Filmmaking involves a subconscious element that cannot be quantified by AI.
Story Development and Future Plans
The bulk of "The Way of Water" and "Fire and Ash" was filmed between September 2017 and 2019. This 18-month period captured approximately 95% of the material for both films. Sigourney Weaver, for example, played the 15-year-old Kiri across both movies, allowing for a consistent character arc.
Cameron notes that "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3" form a single, large story arc. Similarly, if produced, "Avatar 4" and "Avatar 5" would comprise another connected narrative. There will be a time jump in the story after the third film, providing a natural break.
A Major Story Change for "Fire and Ash"
Despite the extensive pre-production, Cameron revealed he made a significant change to "Fire and Ash" after filming had concluded. He decided to reintroduce the Toruk, the large flying creature Jake Sully rode in the climax of the first "Avatar." This decision stemmed from realizing a key element was missing from Jake's destiny in the third film.
"I went, ‘Oh, he’s got to go get the bird.’ Come on! I was saving it for a later film. I was like, ‘Fuck that! He should get the bird. Get the Toruk.’" Cameron explained. This involved rewriting and shooting a few new scenes, adding to the film's runtime but enhancing the narrative.
Emotional Arcs and Character Focus
The re-release of "The Way of Water" serves as a reminder of the crucial relationships within the Sully family. A central theme is the exploration of grief after the death of their eldest son. Cameron emphasized the importance of depicting authentic emotional responses, which is often overlooked in superhero films.
Parental Grief
Cameron, a parent of five, and actors Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña, both parents of three, discussed the impact of parental grief on the film's narrative. This element is designed to add emotional depth and realism to the characters' struggles.
The younger characters, Spider, Kiri, and Lo'ak, will have significant roles in "Avatar 3." Their arcs are vital to the overall story. Spider, in particular, acts as a bridge between Jake and Quaritch, creating nuanced dynamics beyond a simple hero-villain conflict. This focus on the children makes the franchise a "family movie about the kids," rather than solely about the parents.
Future Directorial Projects
Cameron also touched upon his other projects, including a potential feature adaptation of the book "Ghosts of Hiroshima." While he has acquired the rights, a script has not yet been written. He confirmed he intends to direct this film himself, whenever it comes to fruition.
The future of the "Avatar" franchise beyond the third film is not entirely certain. Disney has tentatively dated a fourth and fifth film for 2029 and 2031, respectively. However, Cameron indicated that the financial success of "Avatar 3" would be a major factor in continuing the series. Rising production costs, especially in VFX, are a concern.
"The big swing in all of this is, do we make any money with ‘Avatar 3’? I mean, we’ll make some money. But the question is, what kind of a profit margin, if any, is there, and how much of an inducement is that to continue on in this universe?"
He is currently at a "crossroads," weighing options such as taking a pause to reduce costs, making a smaller, more personal film, or proceeding directly with "Avatar 4" and "Avatar 5." Despite these uncertainties, Cameron affirmed his commitment to directing and storytelling, stating, "I’m not going to stop being a director and a storyteller."