James Wan Eyes Avatar: Aquaman Director Keen for Cameron’s World
James Wan has revealed he’d be up for directing an Avatar film if James Cameron ever steps aside, sharing his excitement in a recent chat.
James Wan, the bloke behind Aquaman and a string of horror hits, has his sights set on Pandora. In a recent interview, Wan admitted he’d jump at the chance to direct a film in James Cameron’s much-loved Avatar series, should Cameron ever decide to hand over the reins after the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash.
“I have not done Avatar,” Wan said, not missing a beat.
“Yeah, if you could put a good one for me with James Cameron, I’d love to take a crack at that.”
It’s clear he’s keen, but the big question is whether Cameron would ever let someone else take the wheel.
James Cameron’s Reluctance to Let Go
Cameron, who’s been the driving force behind Avatar since the mid-90s, doesn’t seem too eager to step back. When asked if he’d ever let another director take over, he was pretty blunt:
“Absolutely not,”
he said, adding he’d always want to be closely involved, at least as a producer.
“I don’t think there’d ever be a version where there’s another Avatar movie that I didn’t produce closely. But in terms of it taking over my life, you know, that’s a threshold issue for me.”
Still, Cameron did leave the door open a crack. If Fire and Ash doesn’t pull in enough at the box office, he reckons he might be ready to move on.
“Absolutely,”
he said when asked if he’d walk away if the numbers weren’t there.
“I’ve been in Avatar land for 20 years. Actually, 30 years, because I wrote it in '95, right, but I wasn’t working continuously on it for those first 10 years. There was a brief flurry of interest in '95, and then everybody said, 'You’re out of your mind,' and I shelved it for 10 years, and then we got serious in 2005. Yeah, absolutely. Sure, if this is where it ends, cool.”
Box Office Success Keeps the Franchise Alive
Despite Cameron’s musings about stepping away, the franchise doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon. Avatar: Fire and Ash has just smashed through the $1 billion mark at the box office, so there’s no sign of financial trouble on the horizon. With numbers like that, it’s hard to imagine Cameron letting go any time soon.
For now, Avatar 4 is locked in for a December 21, 2029 release. Whether Wan gets his shot at the director’s chair remains to be seen, but he’s made it clear he’s ready if the opportunity ever comes up.