As “Avatar: The Way Of Water” continues to rake at the global box office, it’s a good chance that James Cameron completes his vision and makes “Avatar” movies through 2028. But if he could work on something else, what would be it? According to the latest episode of Kim Master‘s “The Business” podcast, Cameron would love to return to the world of “Alita: Battle Angel,” and possibly do so on streaming.
Despite criticisms about the format, Cameron wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to make something for a streamer. “I’d love to be on it,” said Cameron on the podcast. “I think streaming is an opportunity to do long form.” As for any ideas to what he’d do for a streamer, Cameron referenced “Alita” as a candidate. “I certainly have no dearth of ideas, and I like working with other filmmakers, like I did with Robert Rodriguez on ‘Alita: Battle Angel,’” Cameron continued. “It didn’t quite make enough money to make everybody grinning from ear to ear, but we may revisit that IP, we hope to anyway.”
Cameron developed “Alita: Battle Angel” for years before he eventually passed the project onto Rodriguez. The reason? “Avatar” and its sequels took over Cameron’s life, a circumstance that doesn’t look like it’s changing any time soon. Rodriguez rescued “Alita” in 2016, filmed it through February 2017, and the film had its world premieres in January 2019. Set in a dystopian future, “Alita” follows an amnesiac cyborg who rediscovers her past life as a battle droid. While a commercial success, the biggest of Rodriguez’s career, critics met the felt with a mixed response.
Does Cameron have any ideas to expand on the world of “Alita”? Absolutely. “I’ve always written more than we can conceivably pack into the box of a conventional movie,” said Cameron, “and I don’t like all that interesting character development and interesting scenes getting chopped out, either at the scripting stage or in the post-stage.” That’s Cameron’s M.O. since 1986’s “Aliens,” which boasts a director’s cut that’s arguably the superior version of the film. Cameron also re-edited extended additions for other films of his, including “T2: Judgment Day” and “The Abyss.”
More “Alita: Battle Angel”? While not a fan favorite, the 2019 film does set up a franchise very well. Plus, it’d be cool to see Cameron build out another world besides Pandora. But let’s get serious: it’s a guarantee at this point that Cameron makes “Avatar 4” and “Avatar 5.”