Avatar 2: Filming to start now that Avatar 5 has finished being written

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey

Get our The Life Cinematic email for free

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Having been hard at work on its 'overwritten' sequels (his words) for six years now, James Cameron has finally completed work on all four follow-ups to 2009 box office record breaker Avatar.

Cameras are set to begin rolling on Avatar 2 this August, kickstarting characters Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri's (Zoe Saldana) “battle with humans.”

The filmmaker told The Daily Beast: “The thing is, my focus isn’t on Avatar 2. My focus is on Avatar 2, 3, 4, and 5 equally. That’s exactly how I’m approaching it. They’ve all been developed equally. I’ve just finished the script to Avatar 5. I’m now starting the process of active prep. I’ll be working with the actors in the capture volume in August, so I’m booked in production every day between now and then.

"Our volume is up and running, and everything is designed, and so we’re going full-guns right now. I feel like I’ve been let out of jail, because I’ve been in the writing cave for the last two years. I’m actually enjoying life. I don’t enjoy writing. I wouldn’t wish writing on a dog.”

These Avatar sequels have been in the work ever since the first one was released, and it's been unclear when cinemagoers could expect the follow-up which is expected to be every bit the visual treat of the original.

Following a spot of schedule rejigging, however, 20th Century Fox seem to have revealed when the sequel will land in cinemas: an untitled James Cameron project has been pencilled in for 20 December 2018.

It would make sense for this to be Avatar 2 considering the first one was given a Christmas release back in 2009.

Another film from Cameron's studio Lightstorm Entertainment is Alita: Battle Angel - from director Robert Rodriguez - however that already has a release date of July 2018 which eliminates that from being the December release.

Cameron last year revealed plans to show a future Avatar film in 3D without the need for 3D glasses.

Avatar 2 will be released in 2018 with 3, 4 and 5 being fanned out up until 2023. Cameron will also return to The Terminator franchise following the dire 2015 effort Terminator: Genisys.