• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Avatar director James Cameron says upcoming sequel was ‘very f***ing’ expensive to make

Home> Entertainment

Published 09:17 22 Nov 2022 GMT

Avatar director James Cameron says upcoming sequel was ‘very f***ing’ expensive to make

James Cameron needs this film to be his biggest yet.

Ali Condon

Ali Condon

James Cameron has shared that the upcoming Avatar sequel The Way of Water was 'very f***ing' expensive to make.

Since he's been working on this film since 2013, though, that might not come as much of a surprise.

But now the director needs this film to be at least the third or fourth 'highest grossing film in history' just to break even.

It sounds like a big ask, but when you consider that the first Avatar flick is the top grossing movie ever and earned $2.9 billion worldwide, anything is possible for this filmmaker.

Avatar: The Way of Water will continue Jake Sully and Ney'tiri's story.

Advert

The two have now formed a family in Pandora, but when an ancient threat resurfaces, Jake will find himself fighting a conflicting war against the humans.

Cameron warned the film studio that this sequel would be 'the worst business case in movie history' because it was 'very f***ing expensive' to make.

The director, who is also the man behind the Terminator films, Point Break, and Titanic, told GQ that if this next film is going to make a profit, 'you have to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history. That’s your threshold. That’s your break even.'

According to IMDB, the first Avatar film cost about $237 million to make. And it didn't help Cameron's pockets when he decided they needed to start all over again for the second film.

That means new underwater cameras, new AI, and a new motion capture system - among many other things.

Advert

Avatar 2 was 'very f***ing' expensive to make.
20th Century Studios

It sounds like Cameron is setting himself up for an unbearable pile of work, but the director insists that this is his bread and butter.

"I’m attracted by difficult. Difficult is a f***ing magnet for me", he said.

Explaining that there are plenty of 'really gifted, really talented' filmmakers in the business, Cameron thinks he gives himself a 'tactical edge' by trying to do things that nobody else has ever seen 'because the really gifted people don’t f**king want to do it.'

When they were first released, James Cameron projects like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, and Titanic were also among the most expensive films ever made - and it's a legacy that he's proud of.

Advert

"I used to be really defensive about that", he admitted. "Because it was always the first thing anybody would mention.

James Cameron's expensive budgets give him a 'tactical edge' as a filmmaker.
ScreenProd / Photononstop / Alamy Stock Photo

"And now I’m like, if I can make a business case to spend a billion dollars on a movie, I will f***ing do it."

He explained that he's managed to get away with his big spending for so long because he doesn't 'put it all on a pile and light it on fire.'

He said: "If the studio agrees and thinks it’s a good investment, as opposed to buying an oil lease off of the north of Scotland, which somebody would think was a good investment, why not do it?”

Advert

Even more impressive than his big budgets is the fact that, to date, Cameron's films have all made a profit - sometimes an astronomical one. Now, the question is; will Avatar: The Way Of Water do the same?

Featured Image Credit: Rich Gold / Alamy/ 20th century studios

Topics: TV and Film

Ali Condon
Ali Condon

Ali is a journalist for LADbible Group, writing on all things film, music, and entertainment across Tyla, LADbible and UNILAD. You can contact Ali at [email protected].

X

@alicondon

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Netflix made major change to Liam Payne's final TV role as they issue tribute to late singer

    The Netflix show, Payne's last on screen appearance, released today

    Entertainment
  • 5 hours ago

    Furious comedian responded after losing it with heckler before grabbing friend’s phone to expose text messages

    Natalie Cuomo made it clear she doesn't suffer fools gladly

    Entertainment
  • 5 hours ago

    Man makes heartbreaking admission about hospital failings that infected 30,000 people with deadly disease

    This comes as a new report was released today

    Entertainment
  • 5 hours ago

    Oasis fans warned over last minute ticket scams as tour well underway

    Fans are being urged to use official channels for ticket resales

    Entertainment
  • Netflix adds James Cameron thriller as fans still call for sequel to 'underrated masterpiece' five years later
  • Film fans are furious after The Social Network sequel is announced with major change
  • Clever way James Cameron filmed boat sinking in Titanic will change how you watch the movie
  • Bizarre reason Chunk from The Goonies quit acting and very different life he now lives