Writer-director James Cameron already had an ambitious plan to make five Avatar films, but now he’s upping the ante and says he has ideas for Avatar 6 and Avatar 7, too. However, Cameron told Collider that if Avatar 6 and 7 ever happen, he probably won’t direct them.
“We’re fully written through movie five, and I’ve got ideas for six and seven, although I’ll probably be handing the baton on at that point,” he said. “I mean, mortality catches up. But I mean, we’re enjoying what we’re doing. We’re loving it. We get to work with great people.”
If this sounds familiar, it’s because Cameron said in 2022 that he might not direct Avatar 4 or 5, either. He said making the Avatar movies is an “all-consuming” process and he has other projects he wants to make. That being said, Cameron hasn’t decided anything yet.
“I think eventually over time–I don’t know if that’s after three or after four–I’ll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can go do some other stuff that I’m also interested in. Or maybe not. I don’t know,” he said.
Avatar 3, which doesn’t have a title yet, is set for release in December 2025 and is now in post-production. After that will come Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, if things go to plan. So far, the Avatar films have focused on the good-intentioned bands of Na’vi, but that’s going to change in Avatar 3 with the introduction of evil Na’vi.
Avatar 3 brings back the main cast in addition to new actors like Michelle Yeoh (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones), and David Thewlis (Harry Potter). It’s a safe bet that at least some of those new cast members will play members of the new fire-focused people.
2009’s Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide with $2.92 billion. Avatar: The Way of Water is No. 3 with $2.3 billion. Cameron’s 1997 movie Titanic is No. 4 ($2.26 billion), which means Cameron directed three of the top four highest-grossing movies ever. The No. 2 film all time is Avengers: Endgame ($2.79 billion) and No. 5 is Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens ($2.07 billion). Every movie in the top five is a Disney property.