james Cameron weighs Future Films Amid Rising VFX Costs, Addresses ‘Ghosts of Hiroshima’ Status
Filmmaker James Cameron is at a crossroads, balancing potential sequels to “Avatar” with other projects, including the planned film ”Ghosts of Hiroshima,” while grappling with escalating production costs, particularly in visual effects. In a recent interview, Cameron detailed his considerations for the future, acknowledging uncertainty around continuing the “Avatar” saga and outlining a desire to explore diverse storytelling avenues.
The discussion comes as “Avatar: The Way of Water” is slated for a re-release, and following reported changes to a previously announced project, ”fire and Ash,” a live-action adaptation of a Japanese novel. Cameron clarified the status of “Ghosts of Hiroshima,” a project he granted a friend permission to announce he’d acquired, stating, “I gave them permission to announce that I had bought it to turn into a film, but I haven’t written a script yet.” He intends to direct it once a script he approves is completed.
A key factor influencing Cameron’s decisions is the financial performance of “Avatar 3,” set for release in december 2025. “The big swing in all of this is, do we make any money with ‘Avatar 3’?” he stated. “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 acknowledged the possibility of pausing the franchise to address rising production costs, especially in VFX, which have “spiraled over the last few years.”
Cameron outlined several potential paths forward: continuing directly into “Avatar 4″ and “Avatar 5″ with a revised production methodology allowing for concurrent work on other films; taking a break to develop smaller, more personal projects; or simply completing the next two “Avatar” films before reassessing. “There’s an argument for taking a pause and figuring that out,” he said.
Acknowledging the uncertainty, Cameron stated, “If you’re interpreting from that that I’m at a bit of a crossroads hear – it’s not all mapped out. You know, life isn’t like that. I am at a bit of a crossroads here, and I’m going to have to see what draws me to what as I go forward.” He affirmed his commitment to directing and storytelling, stating, “The only thing I can tell you right now, I’m not going to stop being a director and a storyteller.”
This interview has been edited and condensed.
