Speaking with The Daily Beast, director James Cameron confirmed the Avatar sequels scripts are in place and the actors will be assembling later this year to begin the motion-capture part of production.
“The thing is, my focus isn’t on Avatar 2. My focus is on Avatar 2, 3, 4, and 5 equally. That’s exactly how I’m approaching it. They’ve all been developed equally. I’ve just finished the script to Avatar 5. I’m now starting the process of active prep. I’ll be working with the actors in the capture volume in August, so I’m booked in production every day between now and then. Our volume is up and running, and everything is designed, and so we’re going full-guns right now. I feel like I’ve been let out of jail, because I’ve been in the writing cave for the last two years. I’m actually enjoying life. I don’t enjoy writing. I wouldn’t wish writing on a dog.”
Stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang and Sigourney Weaver, The sequels are written by Cameron along with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, and Shane Salerno, which Cameron will direct.
Avatar sequels is expected to hit theaters in December 2018 and would be followed by three more films in December 2020, December 2022, and December 2023.