This is similar to previous comments by Cameron about possibly stepping down from the franchise. Before the release of “The Way of Water,” Cameron expressed how he’d want to pass the baton to another director, “so I can go do some other stuff that I’m also interested in. Or maybe not. I don’t know.”
This seems to be the main point of hesitation for Cameron regarding his involvement in the future of the franchise, that it’d take all his free time away from other projects, which may include other potential blockbusters. Cameron said as much when asked about S.S. Rajamouli about the movies he won’t get to make, confessing, “yes… our time as artists is finite. I will always mourn some of the stories that I don’t get to make.” He also shared excitement about the prospect of passing the baton to another director, like he did with Robert Rodriguez for “Alita: Battle Angel.” As he said, “I look forward to more collaborations in the future with directors I admire.”
The prospect of the world missing out on another original Cameron sci-fi film in exchange for a decade-long wait for another “Avatar” is quite depressing. But at the same time, as Cameron told People, it is much easier to remain in a world you know will connect to audiences than risk failure. “Why did Lucas keep working in the same thing? Why did Roddenberry keep working in the same thing? Because when you connect with people, why would you squander that? Why would you start over with something else that might not connect?”
“Avatar 3” is currently dated for release on December 19, 2025.