The second installment of the critically acclaimed film “Avatar” won’t hit the theaters anytime soon. This is according to writer and director James Cameron, also known for his equally acclaimed movie “Titanic.” The reason for this long delay is his penchant for exploring and mastering new technical aspects that would bring new life to “Avatar 2.” However, it seems that the longer he waits, the more he loses fans. Reports by Cinema Blend and The Independent provided most of the information in this article.

Short attention span is the key

While it is true that James Cameron ruled 2009 with his spectacular film “Avatar,” other film studios are busy establishing their dominance on the big screen.

Back then, the Marvel Studios’ MCU or Marvel Cinematic Universe was only two years old, with two blockbuster hits on their belt ("Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk"). While Cameron is idling, Marvel Studios has found a way to keep the moviegoers glued to the edge of their seats. Since 2009, the MCU has released 18 feature films, the most recent of which is the blockbuster “Black Panther.”

Another film franchise that is successful in stealing the attention span of the moviegoers is “Star Wars.” Two of its installments ("Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Star Wars: The Last Jedi") have captured the audiences’ attention over the past two years only. Both Star Wars films have earned $2 billion worldwide, just within a shouting distance of “Avatar’s” $2.7 billion.

Why is the sequel to ‘Avatar’ taking too long?

Cameron has recently announced that there would be at least four sequels to the 2009 hit “Avatar.” He initially intended to release the sequel in 2016, but he pulled it back to an uncertain date. The best release date that he can give now is 2019 or 2020. According to 20Th Century Fox CEO and chairman Jim Gianopulos, James Cameron has “his own pace” and that’s why the sequels are taking a very long time to materialize.

Another reason why he kept delaying the sequel is his penchant for perfection. One of the reasons why the first “Avatar” was successful is because of the cinematic technological innovation. He developed the virtual camera system, a set of cameras that aims to display a view of the 3D world. In the sequel, he is exploring a new method to shoot 3D characters underwater.

This concept alone took him 18 months to explore, and he was just beginning to "scratch the surface" of the technique. While Cameron is looking best ways to shoot his film, other movies have finished their intended trilogies ("Iron Man," "Captain America," and "Thor").

It seems that both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm Ltd. have found the formula to keep the money coming: Don’t make the fans wait too long or else they will lose interest. James Cameron may be considered as one of the best filmmakers, but it is the fans that will ultimately make or break “Avatar 2.”
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