When Avatar made its debut in 2009, it didn’t only break movie records but it also introduced the audience into a new level of viewing experience with its use of 3D. However, after almost a decade since its release, 3D has become a common feature in almost all blockbuster movies. That’s why filmmakers, like Ang Lee in his latest film Gemini Man, tend to experiment with new tools that would also change and elevate the audience’s movie experience.
In an interview with Collider, director James Cameron was asked about his opinion on Ang Lee’s high frame rate in Gemini Man and if he will also be using it on his upcoming Avatar sequels. The Oscar-winning director revealed that he won’t be using high frame rate technology on the Avatar sequels because he personally thinks that HFR is not a format but only a tool that is useful to fix problems with 3D.
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“I mean, I have a personal philosophy around high frame rate, which is that it is a specific solution to specific problems having to do with 3D,” Cameron explained. “And when you get the strobing and the jutter of certain shots that pan or certain lateral movement across frame, it’s distracting in 3D. And to me, it’s just a solution for those shots. I don’t think it’s a format. That’s just me personally. I know Ang doesn’t see it that way. I don’t think it’s like the next 70 millimeter or the next big thing. I think it’s a tool to be used to solve problems in 3D projection. And I’ll be using it sparingly throughout the Avatar films, but they won’t be in high frame rate.”
The cast of the Avatar franchise includes Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Vin Diesel, Jemaine Clement, and Oona Chaplin alongside a slate of young actors. Returning cast members include Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, Stephen Lang, Matt Gerald and Sigourney Weaver.
Cameron recently explained that Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch is coming back for all four sequels and will be the main villain throughout the story. Filming officially started on Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 on September 25, 2017.
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After some shuffling of the schedule, Avatar 2 has been pushed back a full year from December 18, 2020, to December 17, 2021. Avatar 3 has been pushed back two years December 17, 2021 to December 22, 2023. Avatar 4 will open two years after that on December 19, 2025 (originally December 20, 2024) and Avatar 5 will drop on December 17, 2027 (originally December 19, 2025). Although Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 will only be released with director James Cameron’s caveat that Avatar 2 and 3 are successful at the box office.
