OPINION: Why Avatar 2 Won't Suck

Unbeknownst to many, James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi epic, Avatar, is still the highest grossing film of all time. In second place is James Cameron’s 1997 disaster epic, Titanic. It's not until 3rd place that we find a film released this decade, in the likes of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'. Many fans and movie pundits predicted Episode 7 would almost certainly dethrone Titanic, and even stood a good chance at taking the number one spot. Nearing March, I think it’s safe to say that The Force Awakens is well and truly settled in third place. What is it about James Cameron films that makes them so prolific and successful?

There has been somewhat of a backlash towards Avatar of late, with many calling it unoriginal and boring, anticipating a sequel that will be less than impressive. I wholeheartedly disagree with this notion, and would like to lay out some of my predictions for what Avatar 2 will deliver.

Number 1: It’ll be as revolutionary as the first one was. With the outrageous success of the first film, it seems likely that the studio would rush into production of a sequel to capitalize on the Avatar fever. Cameron however, has decided to wait. We won’t be seeing the second installment in the Avatar franchise until almost a full decade after the release of the first film. This is because Cameron is taking his time to develop the technology he plans to film Avatar 2 with. For a lot of directors, production delays would be cause to worry, however with James Cameron, I think it’s assurance that he is preparing something that will take time, but it'll be worth the wait. He revolutionized visual effects with Terminator 2, The Abyss, Titanic and of course with Avatar, and I have no doubt that he has plans to do it again. He has already confirmed he has built special, never before used cameras to film at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the lowest, deepest place on planet earth. This, combined with Cameron's love and respect for the ocean, will no doubt make for some special sequences.

Number 2: The story will be more original. Say what you will about Avatar, but the stories of his other films have all been expertly crafted. From the simple yet fantastic narrative of The Terminator, or True Lies, to the complex relationships on display in Terminator 2 and Aliens. Cameron is someone who values story and narrative. One of the few criticisms of Avatar, was that it contained an overly simplistic and derivative story, be it from novels or even other films. I think Cameron has definitely taken this on board with his screenplays for the Avatar sequels, as script-rewrites have been responsible for the prolonged production delay. He wants to get this one right. He's a filmmaker who strives for absolute perfection in every aspect of his films, and I think he will certainly achieve that with the screenplay for the Avatar sequels.

Prediction 3: I’ll shit myself with my mouth wide open. In an interview with Empire magazine in 2014, (when asked about the Avatar sequels) Cameron claimed, “They’re gonna be bitchin. You will shit yourself with your mouth wide open.” That actually happened. If there's one filmmaker who I think could make good on that promise, it’s Jimmy Cameron.