In 2009, Avatar was released and eventually became the highest grossing movie of all time. Its advancements in 3D technology are now the standard for what we see today. In a recent interview with the Montreal Gazette, James Cameron has revealed more details about when we’ll return to the world of Pandora, but also what to expect when we arrive.

The sequel, currently called Avatar 2 (with the way movie titles are these days, that will more than likely change), is looking ahead to a Christmas 2017 release. Cameron is looking to film three movies in the Avatar universe at the same time, and then release them in consecutive years, following the Peter Jackson/Middle-earth formula. Each story will be a standalone tale with a “meta-narrative” that informs a larger story in all three films. So it sounds like Cameron is borrowing from the “Marvel Method” of filmmaking as well.

Also, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang will all be returning to the franchise. It will be interesting to see the stories Cameron wants to tell, knowing the fates of two of those characters (I think six years is a safe amount of time to avoid the spoiler police).

The pre-production process has been going on for two years, with the creatures and landscapes all completed. The story is in its final stages, and Cameron said they should be ready to begin after the first of the year. Since Avatar was his last film, I am looking forward to seeing the payoff of an eight-year wait.

So what do you think? Are you ready to return to Pandora? Let me know on Twitter or sound off in the comments below.

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HT: Entertainment Weekly via The Montreal Gazette

IMAGE: 20th Century Fox