Following the reveal ofAvatar: Fire and Ash’strailer, James Cameron has shared insights on theAvatarfranchise’s future on television.Avatar: Fire and Ash’sreleaseis just months away, building up anticipation for the multi-billion dollar franchise’s return. The film will be released on July 17, 2025.
Speaking withEmpire,James Cameron revealed his intention to work with Disney on an animated anthology series set in theAvatarworld. He also mentions the possibility of animated features, either for a streaming or a theatrical release. His aim is to explore stories audiences “wouldn’t have expected from that world.”
Cameron listed some potential narrative examples, including “backstory on characters and tangential stuff that happened off-camera within the movies.Who first landed on Pandora? The first expedition. You could go anywhere you want.” He admits he hasn’t gotten very far on the project, but that it is in the works.
What James Cameron’s Animated Avatar Show Means
An Animated Avatar Project Could Mimic Marvel & Star Wars Success
While this series is still far from confirmed,it’s doubtful Disney would deny James Cameron very much, given the proven value of hisAvatarfranchise. Animated shows connected to franchise IP can be hit or miss, but titles likeArcaneand many of the Star Warsanimation projects prove there’s a market for it.
Avataris one of the most iconic movie franchises of all time, but the series doesn’t have a lot of screen time for audiences to dive into. Sure, these are enormous movies, butan expanded TV series could prove worthwhile for those looking to learn more about Pandora and the Na’vi.
Animated anthology shows likeLove, Death + Robotsand Marvel’sWhat If…?can be used as examples for the potential format, with each release telling a different story. With such a long-term plan for theAvatarfranchise that Cameron has developed for decades, he likely has a wealth of stories to share that wouldn’t merit movie releases.
Our Take On James Cameron’s Avatar Animation Plans
Avatar Needs To Stick To Animation On Television
Expanding a franchise onto another medium is like opening Pandora’s box (no pun intended), andI wouldn’t want to see Disney attempt to develop this further with live-action TV shows. However, that might be primarily due to my dissatisfaction with many of Disney’s live-action Marvel and Star Wars shows.
If James Cameron is involved with anythingAvatar-related, I’ll feel assured knowing that it will maintain a high standard of quality. Animation can be a beautiful medium for a world like this, but I believe that’s the only way to bringAvatarto television and do the world justice, as it deserves.
