James Wan says he’s up for directing Avatar 4 if James Cameron decides to step out from behind the camera
Ever since Avatar: Fire and Ash hit theaters, there’s been a lot of talk about the future of the franchise. Understandably, after working on the franchise for nearly two decades, James Cameron is itching to work on something else. Oh, he loves the Avatar movies, but variety is the spice of life, my friends, and with a mind as creative as Cameron’s, I’m not the least bit surprised that he might want to jump ship before the next installment. While Disney and Cameron haven’t decided whether there will be an Avatar 4, that hasn’t stopped filmmakers from daydreaming about taking over the franchise should Cameron decide to leave. In fact, one filmmaker who has expressed interest in taking over directing duties for Avatar 4 is James Wan, the mastermind behind the The Conjuring franchise and director of films such as Aquaman, Malignant, and Furious 7.
Wan volunteers as tribute to direct Avatar 4
Speaking with Screen Rant about his future behind the camera, Wan said, “I have not done Avatar. Yeah, if you could put a good one for me with James Cameron, I’d love to take a crack at that.” While this is simply Wan shooting his shot in an unofficial capacity, it’s a bold proclamation nonetheless.
Previously, James Cameron said he would only make more Avatar movies if Avatar: Fire and Ash performed well at the box office, and even then, he’s unsure. As fate would have it, Fire and Ash crossed the $1 billion mark over the holiday break, making it one of 2025’s most successful blockbusters. Whether that’s enough for Cameron to return behind the camera for Avatar 4 remains uncertain. While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron said that if there were a fourth Avatar film, he’d likely still direct, but would outsource more of his day-to-day duties to second-unit directors.
James Cameron on lightening the load for Avatar 4
“I’ve learned how to expand the second unit concept,” Cameron said. “For example, most directors don’t operate their own camera, so when I’ve done the performance capture, I operate every damn virtual camera on the first movie. On the second film, I started to lay off some of that to [virtual second unit director] Richard Baneham and to other people. I can imagine laying off the entire thing when I’ve already set the stage for exactly how a scene plays out, and then I’ll circle back around in editorial. So yeah, that’s possible.”
If James Cameron decides to relinquish directing duties for Avatar 4, can James Wan fill his shoes? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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