AVATAR land - the specifics

[MississippiBelle]

I'm just struggling to imagine what kind of story line can span 5 movies.

 

[MrPromey]

I totally agree
I cant think of a single reason why it was successful

In a sense, that's how I feel about the Transformers franchise after movie #1. Sure, they lured in the Gen-X crowd who were nostalgic for the toys and the cartoons they loved as a kid. In my mind I say, who in their right mind would pay for a ticket to see any more of them after that?

Having caught the 2nd and parts of the 3rd on cable, I continue to feel this way but they continue to make tons of money.

At this point, I wouldn't assume that anything I would expect to be crap wound't be a huge financial success when it comes to movies. Not saying the new movies will be crap in my opinion but even if they are, I'll bet they still do well if they're crap packed with enough fx, are PG-13 or less, and they put enough effort and expense into the trailers and theater cut-outs for them.

IDN, maybe I'm cynical?

 

[MrPromey]

I'm just struggling to imagine what kind of story line can span 5 movies.

Any that might otherwise be handled by 3 seasons of TV if the budget was lower. The walking Dead, were it made into movies would already exceed this. Same with Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or Mad Men.

I'm sure it can be done and done well. It remains to be seen if that'll be what happens, though.

 

[twebber55]

In a sense, that's how I feel about the Transformers franchise after movie #1. Sure, they lured in the Gen-X crowd who were nostalgic for the toys and the cartoons they loved as a kid. In my mind I say, who in their right mind would pay for a ticket to see any more of them after that?

Having caught the 2nd and parts of the 3rd on cable, I continue to feel this way but they continue to make tons of money.

At this point, I wouldn't assume that anything I would expect to be crap wound't be a huge financial success when it comes to movies. Not saying the new movies will be crap in my opinion but even if they are, I'll bet they still do well if they're crap packed with enough fx, are PG-13 or less, and they put enough effort and expense into the trailers and theater cut-outs for them.

IDN, maybe I'm cynical?

Fyi
My post was a bit sarcastic

 

[danlb_2000]

Any that might otherwise be handled by 3 seasons of TV if the budget was lower. The walking Dead, were it made into movies would already exceed this. Same with Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or Mad Men.

I'm sure it can be done and done well. It remains to be seen if that'll be what happens, though.

I have always found it funny the people will complain about sequels to movie, but happily watch season after season of a TV show.

 

[MississippiBelle]

Any that might otherwise be handled by 3 seasons of TV if the budget was lower. The walking Dead, were it made into movies would already exceed this. Same with Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or Mad Men.

I'm sure it can be done and done well. It remains to be seen if that'll be what happens, though.

Game of Thrones uses a series of books as source material. Same goes for Walking Dead. However, as a former avid WD fan, playing the same conflict, resolution, new conflict, new resolution game gets old fast. Game of Thrones features an on going power struggle that runs pretty smoothly across multiple seasons/genres. Since the first Avatar movie pretty much wrapped up the conflict with the oil company, I can't see how they could smoothly introduce a new threat that could last 5 movies without the first movie seeming obsolete in the series. Unless they used a Tinkerbell movie methodology and created "The Na'vi and the mystery island", "That one guy who used to be in a wheelchair and the Royal Na'vi Wedding" and the popular short film "Na'vi Ever After". James, feel free to get in touch with me if you need more ideas for new movies!

 

[twebber55]

they can obviously go into Jakes life as a navi now

 

[Master Yoda]

Game of Thrones uses a series of books as source material. Same goes for Walking Dead. However, as a former avid WD fan, playing the same conflict, resolution, new conflict, new resolution game gets old fast. Game of Thrones features an on going power struggle that runs pretty smoothly across multiple seasons/genres. Since the first Avatar movie pretty much wrapped up the conflict with the oil company, I can't see how they could smoothly introduce a new threat that could last 5 movies without the first movie seeming obsolete in the series. Unless they used a Tinkerbell movie methodology and created "The Na'vi and the mystery island", "That one guy who used to be in a wheelchair and the Royal Na'vi Wedding" and the popular short film "Na'vi Ever After". James, feel free to get in touch with me if you need more ideas for new movies!

It was hardly wrapped up. The natives won the first battle and forced the invaders from their land. Do you not think the same invaders will return with bigger guns, more manpower and less concern for the native peoples well being? Do you think they will not look for it on other parts of the moon?

At the point in time the story takes place, Unobtanium is not only the key to Earth’s energy needs, makes interstellar travel possible. Earth can't exist without it. Humans are not simply going to run home with their tail between there legs and give up.

 

[FigmentJedi]

The first of the sequels involves exploring the oceans of Pandora because Cameron loves him some deep sea exploration. They should have picked his brain for ideas to de-Nemo the Living Seas

 

[jmmc]

Why so much doubt? He has been very successful, so I am expectantly waiting.

I'm not saying the movies won't be good. But we've gotten years of a sequel being promised and delayed. He's already planning four more movies when he isn't close to delivering one. Pace yourself, James. One at a time.

 

[TheGreatDicktator]

I'm not saying the movies won't be good. But we've gotten years of a sequel being promised and delayed. He's already planning four more movies when he isn't close to delivering one. Pace yourself, James. One at a time.

I think the intention is to do them all at once. Personally, this excites me.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

So...just when Avatarland is ready to open, they're already going to have to make updates to keep up with the sequels?

 

[Master Yoda]

Cameron describes how Avatar 2-5 will be shot...

It’s not back-to-back. It’s really all one big production. It’s more the way you would shoot a miniseries. So we’ll be shooting across all [Avatar scripts] simultaneously. So Monday I might be doing a scene from Movie Four, and Tuesday I’m doing a scene from Movie One. … We’re working across, essentially, eight hours of story. It’s going to be a big challenge to keep it all fixed in our minds, exactly where we are, across that story arc at any given point. It’s going to be probably the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. I’m sure the actors will be challenged by that as well. It’s like, ‘No, no, no, no, this person hasn’t died yet, so you’re still in this phase of your life.’ It’s a saga. It’s like doing all three Godfather films at the same time.

http://io9.gizmodo.com/heres-how-ja...utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow[/quote]

 

[MississippiBelle]

It was hardly wrapped up. The natives won the first battle and forced the invaders from their land. Do you not think the same invaders will return with bigger guns, more manpower and less concern for the native peoples well being? Do you think they will not look for it on other parts of the moon?

At the point in time the story takes place, Unobtanium is not only the key to Earth’s energy needs, makes interstellar travel possible. Earth can't exist without it. Humans are not simply going to run home with their tail between there legs and give up.

Good point. I stand corrected.

 

[JohnWD]

It was hardly wrapped up. The natives won the first battle and forced the invaders from their land. Do you not think the same invaders will return with bigger guns, more manpower and less concern for the native peoples well being? Do you think they will not look for it on other parts of the moon?

At the point in time the story takes place, Unobtanium is not only the key to Earth’s energy needs, makes interstellar travel possible. Earth can't exist without it. Humans are not simply going to run home with their tail between there legs and give up.

Are you one of the screenplay writers?

 

[DisDan]

Also the Avatar Universe is large I am sure there are other interesting things happening in that Universe that are not directly connected to the original story. I am sure there are other Pandora like planets the Humans have explored. What about Earth? What is happening on earth in this Universe? I mean there are so many stories they could explore that are not directly about the Navi.

 

[MrPromey]

Game of Thrones uses a series of books as source material. Same goes for Walking Dead. However, as a former avid WD fan, playing the same conflict, resolution, new conflict, new resolution game gets old fast. Game of Thrones features an on going power struggle that runs pretty smoothly across multiple seasons/genres. Since the first Avatar movie pretty much wrapped up the conflict with the oil company, I can't see how they could smoothly introduce a new threat that could last 5 movies without the first movie seeming obsolete in the series. Unless they used a Tinkerbell movie methodology and created "The Na'vi and the mystery island", "That one guy who used to be in a wheelchair and the Royal Na'vi Wedding" and the popular short film "Na'vi Ever After". James, feel free to get in touch with me if you need more ideas for new movies!

And that's the catch - we really have no idea how they plan to do this yet. I know he talked about more than what just happens on that planet so the movies could be more of a series with related themes and characters that cross into each other's stories a bit without necessarily being a single linear tale. In this regard, the first movie could be used to base some basis for the human presence in this part of the universe and to establish the way they relate to everything and everyone else (backstory) as well as to establish a few key characters that will reoccur.

... Or it could be one complete story with a sudden four movie story awkwardly tacked on which makes the first one feel like test footage. If I were a betting person (which I'm not) I'd put my money on Cameron, though. It feels like every new project he embarks on is predicted to be his big failure and instead, he proves everyone wrong. This could be the time his ego does him in but that's what many thought the last two times before he made the highest grossing films in history.

We'll see, I guess.

Hopefully he doesn't take you up on your offer for help, though.

 

[MrPromey]

Fyi
My post was a bit sarcastic

Noted!

 

[MississippiBelle]

And that's the catch - we really have no idea how they plan to do this yet. I know he talked about more than what just happens on that planet so the movies could be more of a series with related themes and characters that cross into each other's stories a bit without necessarily being a single linear tale. In this regard, the first movie could be used to base some basis for the human presence in this part of the universe and to establish the way they relate to everything and everyone else (backstory) as well as to establish a few key characters that will reoccur.

... Or it could be one complete story with a sudden four movie story awkwardly tacked on which makes the first one feel like test footage. If I were a betting person (which I'm not) I'd put my money on Cameron, though. It feels like every new project he embarks on is predicted to be his big failure and instead, he proves everyone wrong. This could be the time his ego does him in but that's what many thought the last two times before he made the highest grossing films in history.

We'll see, I guess.

Hopefully he doesn't take you up on your offer for help, though.

You'll thank me when the 18th addition to the franchise, Jake and the Pandora Pirates, comes straight to a television near you.

 

[Slowjack]

If he's really shooting all of them at the same time, that's a huge gamble. The oddest thing about Cameron and Avatar has been how, whenever he talks about the films, either the original or the apparently endless sequels, he talks almost exclusively about the technology behind the shoot or the special effects or the art direction. It's like the story and characters are just there because they are required, and the films are three-hour demo reels for the effects lab.