'Avatar 2' Premiere Update: Movie release postponed to December 2017; New technology being developed to shoot advance scenes

By Staff Reporter

Jun 16 2015, 10:12 AM EDT

The release of Avatar 2 will have a one year delay. The sequel is set on Christmas Day in 2017 and 20^th Century Fox assured that fans will not be dismayed with the longer preparation. James Cameron is now developing new technology to be used to shoot complicated scenes.

REASON FOR THE XMAS SEASON

20^th Century Fox Chairman-CEO Jim Gianopolus was quoted by Cinemablend as saying that Avatar 2 was moved from 2016 to 2017 because director James Cameron has his own pace. Speaking at the Gabelli and Company's Movie and Entertainment Conference in New York on Saturday, Gianopolus explained that 20^th Century Fox is waiting for Cameron's vision for the movie and the director does not want to rush things and sacrifice the movie's quality. Unlike other sequels that are based on books, Avatar has no source material to rely on so it needs more time to work on. Cameron also promised that while Avatar 2 is yet to be shown in 2017, it will be followed by Avatar 4 and 5 in 2018 and 2019 respectively to give fans something to look forward to in three consecutive years.

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST

Gianopolus also shared his visit to New Zealand where the movie is being shot in a room with overwhelming images, characters and settings. Add to this, a more advanced technology will be used for the film's production. Cameron is fond of using the most hi-tech equipment that is not yet available, even if it would mean helping to make it himself. iDigital Times adds that one of the major causes of delay is Cameron's creation of a technology that would pave the way for an underwater scene.

Christianity Daily meanwhile says that filming scenes for sequels at the same time will save on time and cost. The first Avatar movie was filmed in New Zealand and James Cameron intends to shoot the sequels in the same location in order to avail of a preferential tax negotiation with the country.

Avatar 2 will be shown in 2017, eight years after the release of its prequel in 2009. Fans could only hope that the long wait will all be worth it.