Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron has spent three decades crafting the rich, immersive world of Pandora, and the latest installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has once again proven the saga’s global appeal by crossing US$1 billion (RM4 billion) at the box office.
Now, a new heavyweight has expressed interest in exploring Cameron’s iconic universe. James Wan, the 48-year-old director of The Conjuring and Aquaman, has officially signalled his willingness to take the reins should Cameron step back from directing.
Speaking with Screen Rant, Wan said, “I have not done Avatar. Yeah, if you could put a good one for me with James Cameron, I’d love to take a crack at that.” The Kuching-born Australian filmmaker expressed excitement at the prospect of collaborating with the legendary director.
Avatar: Fire and Ash, released on Dec 19, 2025, continues the saga of Jake Sully and Neytiri, who now face the formidable ‘Ash People’—a fire-wielding tribe led by the fierce Varang. The film’s success demonstrates that audiences remain captivated by Pandora’s bioluminescent landscapes and epic storytelling.
Cameron, 71, has openly discussed the personal toll of shepherding the franchise for three decades, dating back to his original treatment in 1995. He has cautioned about the dangers of “sequelitis” and described the saga as a definitive story arc, similar to The Lord of the Rings.
“I don’t think there’d ever be another Avatar movie that I didn’t produce closely,” Cameron told The Town with Matt Belloni podcast. However, he remains open to a successor helming the fourth and fifth films, ensuring the story continues even if his involvement diminishes.
Cameron also promised fans a consolation if the series were to halt prematurely: “If we don’t get to make the fourth and fifth, for whatever reason, I’ll hold a press conference and I’ll tell you what we were gonna do.”
For now, Pandora remains firmly under Cameron’s stewardship, but the prospect of James Wan bringing his visual flair to the franchise opens an intriguing “what if” for the future of cinema.
