Avatar sequels given official release date

James Cameron has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox to write and direct two sequels to his US$2.7 billion-grossing film Avatar. The tentatively titled Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 will hit cinemas December 2014 and December 2015 respectively.

According to Variety, Cameron will begin penning the films early 2011 and hopes to begin production by the end of next year. He is yet to decide whether the films will be shot back to back.

Cameron had this to say about his impending return to Pandora:

“In the second and third films, which will be self-contained stories that also fulfill a greater story arc, we will not back off the throttle of ‘Avatar’s’ visual and emotional horsepower, and will continue to explore its themes and characters, which touched the hearts of audiences in all cultures around the world.”

Alright then. The countdown begins.

Discuss: Get in five years early. How much will each film gross? The pool stars now!