Jon Landau on When to Expect an Avatar Sequel

[Uniltsamsiyu]

Earlier this evening, ComingSoon.net was invited to get a sneak preview of the new Blu-ray release of James Cameron's Avatar on April 22. Before that, we were able to sit down with producer Jon Landau for him to field some of our questions about the release and some of the technical aspects of making the movie. We'll run that interview next week, but as a preview, we wanted to share Landau's response when asked about the pressures to produce the much-rumored Avatar sequel, given the success of the movie on so many levels.

"Look, I think one of the things that we have been successful at is that the most pressure we feel is our own pressure," he told us. "I think that's true as we make a movie, whether it be 'Titanic' or 'Avatar.' Our pressure about an 'Avatar' sequel is self-imposed. We've always said that if the public wanted a sequel that we would do a sequel. That having been said, in my opinion, Jim has done two sequels in his career, and both times, he has at least equaled if not surpassed the original movie. We're only going to do it when we have a piece of material, a script, that we believe will be at least as entertaining and unique as the first movie was."

Then again, once they get that material--and Landau agreed that the possibilities for a sequel are somewhat endless--making a sequel will likely be a lot easier than it was to make the first movie. "Not only that, but the hard part is out of the way. We figured out how to do it, and our goal in the next one is to do it more cost-effectively and more time-efficiently, and we have kept on a team of our technical staff who is working right now on Gen 2 of what we did, but with all the experience that we've had. We kept them on, and they're working for us right now."

Over the next few months, Landau and Cameron will be overseeing production on the supplementary materials for the four-disc ultimate edition Avatar Blu-ray out in November, many of which will appear in the months between releases through "The Avatar Program," which will allow those who buy the initial DVD release exclusive access to the materials at Avatarmovie.com.

Eventually, the Blu-ray will include a brand-new two-hour documentary on making Avatar and unused extra scenes from the movie, including more on the Na'vi school run by Sigourney Weaver and on Jake's training as an Avatar. With that in mind, we wondered how much time Cameron might have to start developing new material.

"The good news is that we have systems and methodologies in place that will not consume a lot of Jim's time," Landau said. "I think Jim's time will be surgical coming in. We have a very good behind-the-scenes crew working on this two-hour documentary we want to put together - Jim's not doing it himself. We have Weta Digital working on these shots, but our animation supervisor is now our visual FX supervisor, so he'll take all of this to a certain point and then Jim will be able to come in, but hopefully, he'll be able to go off and do some other stuff. There are a small number of movies that Jim wants to (direct) himself, but he doesn't want to say that he can do things that he's not going to have time for, and we know that whatever movie he does is not going to be done in six months."

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Although we might not see it for quite awhile, I do agree that it should be done right. Not just put together to get out to theaters. I want a sequel as much as anyone else here, but if JC can make it even better than the original, I'd say it would defiantly be worth the wait.

It's also good to hear new of future content being released for the original, although we've known for awhile that Avatar was going to get a special edition later this year or early next year, it's awesome to get to hear theyre making a 2-hour making-of documentary and get a description of the types of deleted scenes there will be!

[Muzer]

One thing I find slightly worrying is that they didn't mention whether or not the November edition will have 3D - I really hope it will (and that I find a way of playing 3D Blu-ray movies cheaply; probably with one of these 3D gaming monitors that use polarised light)

[Nìwotxkrr Tìyawn]

Personally I'd rather watch it 2-d on a 52" screen with surround sound than a 3-d gaming monitor.

[Uniltsamsiyu]

One thing I find slightly worrying is that they didn't mention whether or not the November edition will have 3D - I really hope it will (and that I find a way of playing 3D Blu-ray movies cheaply; probably with one of these 3D gaming monitors that use polarised light)

theres no doubt in my mind that they will release a Blu-Ray 3D version. They felt "the technology wasn't ready" in time for this initial Blu-ray launch. Chances are we will see it in the Special Edition, since 3D LCD TVs will have been out for awhile at that point. But it honestly wouldnt surprise me if they made a 3rd edition of the movie with the 3D added in. From a strictly business point of view of the highest grossing movie of all time, dont you think a Theatrical DVD/Blu-ray release, Special Edition (following the theater-rerelease) and a 3D edition (perhaps closer to the launch of Avatar 2, similar to what theyre doing with the extended editions of LotR for the Hobbit) wouldnt maximize profits?

but like I said, i do expect them to release the 3D along with the Special Edition, also since 3D is in its prime state right now in the market (This years amount of 3D movies and 3D TVs can prove that). Not to mention this IS the movie that kicked-off the 3D craze and that they said they were planning to incorporate the 3D into the Specal Edition. It could make this holidays hottest selling movie.

[Kätsyín te Zotxekay Tsyal’itan]

Personally I'd rather watch it 2-d on a 52" screen with surround sound than a 3-d gaming monitor.

Yea, 2D is just fine for me for awhile. 3D TVs give me headaches.

[Txura Rolyu]

HOORAY for 2-D!!! It works and you can get almost the same effect with great HD grahics and the like.