James Cameron Compares Avatar Sequel Structure To A TV Series

James Cameron has compared his upcoming Avatar sequels to a TV series, saying the films follow an episodic structure with how they are presented.

James Cameron says that his upcoming Avatar sequels will have a similar structure to an episodic TV series. Avatar: The Way of Water follows the Sully family over 10 years after the events of the first Avatar film. The Way of Water introduces a new water-based biome and tribe of Na’vi to the world of Pandora, marking a new chapter in the franchise’s story. Given the standalone nature of the first Avatar film, it was unclear whether its sequel would have a similar, self-contained structure since Cameron has three more sequels in the works.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Cameron has planned for every Avatar sequel to feel like a new entry in a TV series. He explained that, while each film would continue to build on one another, there would also be a specific conflict to each movie that will find some level of resolution by the end of each one. Check out what Cameron had to say below:

The way I mapped this out is that it’s one big continuous saga when you see it all, but each film has its own offramp and finale that rounds it all out. The best metaphor is really good episodic TV, where you understand the problems of the character. The specific proximal problem of this story has been resolved, but these characters are going to have the same problem next time I drop in on them because they’re not going change that much, or they will change profoundly if something happens that’s bad enough or enlightening enough.

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What A TV Structure Says About The Avatar Sequels

Cameron’s comparison between his Avatar sequels and episodic television gives viewers insight into what to expect from the future of the franchise. The way Cameron describes the films is akin to a TV series like Criminal Minds or Law & Order, where each episode features a new problem for characters to deal with while also building on the characters themselves in the background. While a crime procedural is nothing like the sci-fi world of Pandora that Cameron has created, the idea that each film will have the same characters attempting to deal with a problem that has a resolution by the end underscores how much series with similar structures from different genres may have influenced his work.

The decision to make each sequel deal with a new conflict each time also allows Cameron to continue building the culture of Pandora in every film. Avatar: The Way of Water introduces audiences to a new group of Na’vi whose culture centers around the waters of Pandora and the creatures that live there. Given how vast of a planet Pandora is, it’s likely that cultures that utilize other elements of the planet will be introduced in future movies. Should Cameron decide to structure his Avatar sequels as a way to continue building the world of Pandora, he’ll be able to explore new aspects with each film while maintaining the conflict between humans and Na’vi to do so.

If every Avatar film remains episodic in nature, the structure can also give Cameron a chance to explore humanity’s attempts to use Pandora in different ways. While the first film focused on unobtainium mining and the desecration of nature for the sake of human greed, the status of Earth in the Avatar universe could allow for alternate aspects of the conflict to be highlighted. Avatar: The Way of Water appears to involve the RDA’s return to Pandora in an attempt to colonize it, opening the door for an evolution of the conflict between Na’vi and humans. Cameron’s plans for the Avatar franchise are both ambitious and partially experimental, making its development for the future all the more compelling.

Next: Avatar: The Way Of Water Ending Explained

Source: EW