The much-anticipated sequel to the 2009 epic science fiction film Avatar has been in the works for about a decade.
And now, despite production being shut in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and release dates being pushed back eight times, comes the welcome news from filmmaker James Cameron that live-action filming is ‘100 % complete’.
Cameron made the big reveal during an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger, which included more welcomed news about the third installment in the franchise that’s being shot simultaneously in New Zealand.
Big reveal: Legendary filmmaker James Cameron announced live-action filming for Avatar 2 is now ‘100% complete’
Talking to Schwarzenegger ahead of the 2020 Austrian World Summit environmental conference, Cameron first addressed the impact that the coronavirus crisis has had on the filming process that started back in August 2017 in California.
‘We lost about four-and-a-half months of production. As a result of that we rolled [the premiere date] around one more full year for a release in December of 2022.’
It was at this point the legendary writer and director, 66, announced that live-action filming for Avatar 2 was finished and ‘95% complete on Avatar 3’.
Old friends and colleagues: Cameron gave the updates on the Avatar sequels during video call that was posted on The Terminator star’s YouTube channel
Brains behind blockbusters: Cameron, who wrote and directed the original 2009 film, has been working on the Avatar sequels in New Zealand
Even with the all the hardships due to the pandemic, Cameron acknowledged he and his crew were lucky to have chosen New Zealand as their production site many years ago, considering it has ranked first or second in the world for its COVID-19 response.
‘We are able to operate. we’re able to shoot, and we’re able to more or less have a normal life here right now,’ he said to Schwarzenegger, who has starred in three of Cameron’s films: The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and True Lies (1994).
‘So we’re very fortunate. So I don’t see any roadblocks to use getting the picture finished — getting both pictures finished.’
Hardships: Cameron revealed the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown production of Avatar sequels for four-and-a-half months; he is pictured on the set with star Sigourney Weaver
Full-steam ahead: ‘We are able to operate. we’re able to shoot, and we’re able to more or less have a normal life here right now,’ Cameron, 66, revealed about the production in New Zealand
Avatar 2 is said to take place 12 years after the events of the first movie, following Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) as he continues to roam the planet of Pandora with the new family he has with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).
It also stars Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Edie Falco, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis.
In the wake of those eight theatrical release date changes, Avatar 2 is currently slated to premiere on December 16, 2022 and Avatar 3 on December 20, 2024.
More welcome news: Cameron also announced that Avatar 3 is ‘95% complete’
Franchise giant: There are also plans to make two more sequels: Avatar 4 and Avatar 5
There’s also plans for two more sequels that have release dates of December 18, 2026 and December 22, 2028, respectively, although Cameron has stated that they wouldn’t be made if Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 don’t make any money.
The original 2009 film became the highest-grossing movie of all time, raking-in $2.79 billion worldwide on a $237 million budget.
That record was broken last year when Avengers: Endgame grossed $2.797 billion at the worldwide box office.
Massive: The original 2009 film became the highest-grossing movie of all time, raking-in $2.79 billion on a $237 million budget; that record was broken in 2019 by Avengers: Endgame