Three Simultaneously Filmed 'Avatar' Sequels In The Works

Sweet Zombie Jesus, James Cameron. Could we be staring down the day you claim the 10 or so highest-grossing films of all time?

Well, it could certainly be surmised he might want at least five of the top six. A recent feature Showbiz 411 interview with Sigourney Weaver hints that Cameron has blocked off his next few years' itinerary for not one, not merely two, but three "Avatar" sequels.

To quote the piece directly:

"When [Weaver's new USA Network series] 'Political Animals' finishes shooting, see if you can follow Weaver's schedules: she goes right into a new Christopher Durang play for a short run at Lincoln Center. Then she films 'Avatar' 2,3, and 4 with James Cameron. That's right: they're making three sequels to the blue 3-D phenom all at the same time. Weaver says she has no idea how long it will take, or how it's going to work. 'I just show up,' she said."

Cameron himself previously claimed that he's worked the past year and a half fine-tuning software and virtual-production methodology that he deemed "protypical" when making the first film. For a "protypical" project, the 2009 162-minute feature hasn't faired badly at all: its $2.78-billion worldwide gross ranks it atop the all-time list. To reach that throne, it knocked off Cameron's own 1997 classic "Titanic" by over a half-billion dollars.

Incidentally, both are in at least moderate jeopardy of being dumped into second- and third-place rankings respectively with Marvel's "The Avengers" sitting at around $1.44 billion worldwide, still in theaters and possibly awaiting a fall return to theaters to build anticipation for the Blu-ray/DVD release.

Cameron added that all this while, his team has been assembling "the tool set, the production pipeline, setting up the new stages in Los Angeles, setting up the new visual effects pipeline in New Zealand, that sort of thing. And by the way, writing. We haven't gotten to the design stage yet. That'll be the next."