Cameron Says He Plans 4 “Avatar” Sequels

“We have decided to embark on a truly massive cinematic project, making four epic films, each of which stands alone but together forms a complete saga,” he told theater owners at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas.

The first of the four planned sequels will premiere in 2018, with the others following in 2020, 2022, and 2023, Cameron said.

He said his initial idea was for two sequels, but that discussions with screenwriters and “some of the top artists and designers in the world” led him to conclude he had far too much material for two films.

“So far, what I am seeing in pure imagination is far beyond the first film,” Cameron said.

With global ticket sales of $2.78 billion, “Avatar” remains the most successful film in history, ahead of Cameron’s earlier “Titanic,” with $2.18 billion; and the recent “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which brought in $2.06 billion, according to figures compiled by the Web site Box Office Mojo.