'Avatar' Star Joel David Moore Confirms Cast Conversations About Sequel

'A lot of things can happen,' he says of potential story lines for a second 'Avatar' film.

Even before "Avatar" came out and collected, oh, only slightly less money than the United States does in annual income taxes, director James Cameron told MTV News he had specific ideas in mind for a potential sequel. Specifically — spoiler alert for the three people in the world who still haven't seen the movie! — that the second film would pick up after the events of the first, with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) having fully transferred his consciousness to his alien body.

Now we have confirmation that Cameron has shared some of those plans with his cast following the film's record-breaking box-office haul. "There have been conversations about certain ways to go," Joel David Moore, who plays human scientist Norm Spellman, told MTV News. "Of course nothing's set in stone. I love all the ideas.

"There are a lot of places for it go and all of those decisions lie in one man's brain," he added about Cameron. "And that is a giant brain. It is hard to feel smart around him."

At the end of the first movie, Spellman is allowed to stay on Pandora following the native Na'vi defeat of the human colonizers. And now we know Cameron expects to have Moore stay around for the sequel.

"Yes, I will be a part of whatever they want me to do," he said. "How can you not? I would love to go back to that world."

But what will his role on Pandora be now? During the final battle against the humans, Spellman's Na'vi avatar was fatally wounded. Will the character be avatar-less in the "Avatar" sequel?

"Anything can happen in a sequel and anything can happen on another planet," said Moore. "Understand that these things are grown from DNA from the Na'vi and us. A lot of things can happen."

James Cameron Says 'Avatar' Sequel Isn't A 'Foregone Conclusion'

'There are some things that need to be worked out,' director tells MTV News at the Oscars.

Even though "Avatar" failed to secure the top honors at the 82nd annual Academy Awards, director James Cameron's 3-D science-fiction film seems all but guaranteed to have a sequel given the movie's unprecedented commercial success. But according to Cameron himself, a sequel is not quite a certainty.

"We'll see," the filmmaker told MTV News on the red carpet of the Oscars when asked about an "Avatar" sequel. "There are no foregone conclusions. There are some things that need to be worked out with 20th Century Fox. If we get all of that squared away, then it's all good."

This isn't the first time Cameron has expressed some uneasiness about working on "Avatar 2." In February, the celebrated filmmaker reiterated his position that a sequel isn't guaranteed just yet.

"I've got some deal hurdles I got to get over with the studio before I want to emotionally embrace that," Cameron told MTV News at the time. "[Sequel details have] never properly been worked out, let me put it that way, but everyone's highly motivated. Rupert Murdoch told us we were doing it, so now they have to make a deal."

Assuming that all the potential hurdles are cleared, Cameron has previously stated that an "Avatar" sequel could explore Pandora's neighboring moons. Additionally, there's a strong likelihood that the humans defeated at the end of "Avatar" could return in a sequel. But for now, Cameron can only guarantee one future activity: sleep.

"I'm going to sleep all day tomorrow," the filmmaker said before the Oscars began. "I intend to party all night and sleep all day."

Will 'Avatar' Sequels Shoot Back-To-Back? James Cameron Weighs In

Director also talks about getting 'inside the characters' heads' for his 'Avatar' novel.

It's not enough that "Avatar" is now the biggest movie of all time, winning three Oscars and grossing unprecedented box-office dollars. To better serve the film-going public, the powers that be at Fox will be re-releasing the film in 3-D and 3-D IMAX on August 27. MTV News was lucky enough to steal a few moments of maestro James Cameron's time to talk about the reported "Avatar" novel and whether he'll shoot the proposed two sequels back-to-back.

"We're still working on deals [for 'Avatar 2']," Cameron told MTV News. "We don't start the movie until we get the deals worked out."

Fair enough. But what about the rumored sequel "scriptment"? "I'm making notes. I'm not sitting idle," Cameron said. "But really, what I'm working on primarily is the novel. I never had a chance to get the novel done while we were making the movie, and I always intended to. I didn't want to do a cheesy novelization, where some hack comes in and kind of makes sh-- up. I wanted to do something that was a legitimate novel that was inside the characters' heads and didn't have the wrong culture stuff, the wrong language stuff, all that."

Cameron went on to say that the novel will serve as a "bible" for other writers to come in and riff on for their own "Avatar"-based stories.

"I don't mind opening the universe, but I just don't want that to happen until I've got more meat on the bones," he said, adding that he'd like to fill in some of the specific details about the company, what's happening on Earth and Grace and Jake's backstories. "That all needs to be filled in before other writers can come in and run with it."

Regarding his plans and discussions about two proposed sequels, we asked if he'll shoot them back-to-back. "We're actually talking about that. That's not a decision yet," Cameron revealed. "That is something that makes a lot of sense, given the nature of these productions, because we can bank all the [motion] capture and then go back and do cameras over a period of time."

He added that the nature of their filmmaking process lends itself more naturally to a back-to-back shooting schedule, versus that of other live-action productions.

"The way these back-to-back productions fall apart is that you're trying to do two live-action films back to back, and you're working on it for a year and a half, shooting. Everyone is dead. It's not humanly possible," Cameron said of live-action shoots. "This type of film, it absolutely would work."

James Cameron Locks In Deal For Two More 'Avatar' Movies

Cameron will work on two sequels to the 2009 blockbuster.

If you want to go back to Pandora again and again, then today is your lucky day. reports that James Cameron has finalized a deal with 20th Century Fox for two sequels to 2009's "Avatar." Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman have confirmed the news.

The projects are reportedly slated as Cameron's next projects. The tentatively titled "Avatar 2" is aiming for a December 2014 release and its follow-up "Avatar 3" for a December 2015 release. They will be produced by Cameron and his partner Jon Landau for Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment.

"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," Cameron said. "I'm looking forward to returning to Pandora, a world where our imaginations can run wild."

Cameron will begin work on scripts early next year and wants to begin production later in 2011. The decision on whether he will shoot the sequels back-to-back will be made when he finishes writing the films.

"It is a rare and remarkable opportunity when a filmmaker gets to build a fantasy world, and watch it grow, with the resources and partnership of a global media company," Cameron said. "With two new films on the drawing boards, my company and I are embarking on an epic journey with our partners at 20th Century Fox."

"Avatar" star Sigourney Weaver recently opened up to MTV News about what she'd like to see in the sequels, whether or not she makes it back. "I think that the challenges to Pandora will continue," she said. "I do think that humans will be back. I also think that maybe we'll get more of a chance to live a Na'vi life. I think we want to be in that world and I, for one, would love to be a Thanator in that world! I just think we have a big appetite for going back there, and I know that Jim will do everything he can to satisfy us and take it to even more parts of Pandora that we don't even know exist yet."

'Avatar' sequels to help fund green charities

James Cameron elaborates on how the next two movies will benefit environmental initiatives.

Back in later October, when James Cameron announced that he was formally engaged in writing the next two movies in the "Avatar" trilogy, he mentioned that Twentieth Century Fox had sweetened his involvement by making a large donation to his "environmental green fund."

That was a little puzzling, since Cameron doesn't have his own designated fund. But after a few more nuggets of clarification slipped out earlier this week, it's all now very clear — and it has the potential to be an absolute game changer for green charities favored by the 56-year-old director.

"Some percentage of the presumably-massive 'Avatar' sequel gross will go to charity," he said in a recent interview. "Fox has partnered with me to donate a chunk of the profits to environmental causes that are at the heart of the 'Avatar' world."

"Percentage of gross" and "chunk of profits" are huge statements that I believe have slipped under the media radar. Cameron and FOX have already gone beyond their 1 million tree planting initiative for the first "Avatar" — so it makes sense that they'd aim higher with the next two. But assigning a percentage to charity is just unheard of.

Consider this: The first "Avatar" grossed more than $2.7 billion worldwide. Dedicating even a small "chunk" of final box office numbers to funding environmental initiatives would be a huge donation. We've seen similar fundraisers using ticket sales before from Disneynature's documentary films, but nothing on this scale. It goes even deeper when you realize this applies to two films with the potential for record-breaking profits.

Of course, the next two films could be something awful — but history tells me that anticipation will be high and plenty of people worldwide will cough up cash for a return trip to Pandora. It's great to think that some of that green will benefit initiatives back here on Earth.

“Avatar 2” and “Avatar 3” will be released winter 2014 and 2015, respectively.

James Cameron announces 'Avatar' sequel release plan

Director is currently writing parts two and three in the franchise

James Cameron has revealed that he plans to shoot Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 back-to-back, and is currently busy writing the scripts for both sequels. The director told Entertainment Weekly that the third sequel would probably come out a year or so after the second.

"I am in the process of writing the next two Avatar films now," he said. "We are planning to shoot them together and post them together, and we will probably release them not quite back-to-back, but about a year apart."

Cameron said that he's planning for the two sequels hit the cinemas in December 2014 and 2015 respectively.

As well as saying "all" of the original cast will return for the new films, Cameron explained that a percentage of the sequel profits will be given to charity.

"Some percentage of the presumably-massive Avatar sequel gross will go to charity," he said. "Fox has partnered with me to donate a chunk of the profits to environmental causes that are at the heart of the Avatar world."

He added: "I didn't want to make more Avatar movies without a grander plan in place."

Avatar was released in 2009, and is the highest-grossing film of all time in the US and Canada.

James Cameron: 'Avatar' sequels coming Christmas 2014 and 2015

James Cameron has spoken frequently about his intention to turn his mega-hit Avatar into a trilogy. Now, according to the director himself, those two sequels have release dates. Cameron tells EW, “I am in the process of writing the next two Avatar films now. We are planning to shoot them together and post them together, and we will probably release them not quite back to back, but about a year apart. Christmas ’14 and ’15 is the current plan.” Of course, it’s probably best to take those release dates with a grain of salt, since the first Avatar had several release dates before its December 2009 release. Still, now fans know that they’ll have to wait at least three more years for a return to Pandora.

Cameron also notes that we’ll see some familiar faces return. “Basically, if you survived the first film, you get to be in the second film, at least in some form,” say the director. One thing’s for sure: some percentage of the presumably-massive Avatar sequel gross will go to charity. “Fox has partnered with me to donate a chunk of the profits to environmental causes that are at the heart of the Avatar world,” says the director. “I didn’t want to make more Avatar movies without a grander plan in place.”

Zoe Saldana: Avatar sequel will be 'amazing'

Zoe Saldana has been trying to get the gossip on the sequels to both Star Trek and Avatar.

"You can expect them to be amazing but we're going to have to wait," the actress admitted at the Hollywood premiere of her new film Burning Palms.

Having starred in both of the box-office smashes, the 32-year-old confessed she's been pestering James Cameron and JJ Abrams to find out what the plots will be.

She explained: "I email Jim and JJ to see if I can get a little bit of information and I don't know if it's a trend of mine or if I just psychologically gravitate towards these directors that are very secretive, but they're definitely talented."

In Burning Palms, Zoe has to go to a much darker place psychologically, playing a rape victim who decides to go and confront her attacker after realising he left his wallet in her home.

Talking about how to deal with such a sensitive storyline, Zoe said: "You focus a lot on your work and you try to make it as best as you can, especially when you're dealing with something that can be very real."

Sigourney Weaver On Avatar Sequel: My Character “Changed”

The fate of Sigourney Weaver’s character, Grace, in the original Avatar seemed to have been pretty clearly shown on-screen, but Weaver’s holding out for something more in the sequel. Spoilers, in case you somehow haven’t seen Avatar yet.

Talking to Entertainment Weekly, Weaver responded to the idea that Grace was killed during the movie by saying,

Well, I wouldn’t use that word. I wouldn’t use that word — she was changed. You know, it’s science fiction, so we saw something happen to her, and we don’t quite know what it is. She definitely went into the Tree of Souls, right? It’s science fiction. What looks like death, who knows?

She went on to say that Ghostbusters III was most likely happening and that Bill Murray is on board.

'Avatar' Director Has 'Great Ideas' For Sequel, Sam Worthington Says

Actor behind Jake Sully tells MTV News he talks to James Cameron 'all the time,' and expects more details in 2011.

At this time last year, most movie talk revolved around "Avatar" and its record-shattering box-office numbers on its way to being anointed the most successful film of all time. This year, however, all the discussion has revolved around the inevitable "Avatar" sequels

Fox has announced there will be two and that director James Cameron will shoot at least one of them partially underwater. When MTV News caught up with star Sam Worthington on the set of his new thriller "Man on a Ledge," the in-demand actor (seriously, check out his IMDb lineup for proof) said he's been in close contact with Cameron about follow-ups but that specifics will start to take shape next year.

"I talk to [Cameron] all the time," Worthington said. "I talked to him last week. I think at the moment he's still doing the ['Avatar'] bible, the book, and I think the book will then inspire where he wants to take it," the "Clash of the Titans" star explained. "He's got great ideas; what he told me about, where he wants to set it, things he wants to explore. We'll probably talk next year, and then he can fill us in on where, personally, he wants to take it, where emotionally he wants to take it."

Regarding the sequel's underwater setting, Worthington said only some of the action will take place in the water.

"[Cameron] is going to explore that [underwater] world," he said. "It won't fully take place underwater but he's definitely going to explore — same as the mountains, he can explore more, outer space [as well] — it's up to him," Worthington added. "He created the world."

And finally, we asked Worthington about the future of Jake Sully, specifically whether audiences will ever see his human form onscreen again. Worthington said he had "no idea."

‘Avatar’ sequel filming starts 2011

After waffling on the issue just a week ago, James Cameron has now committed to doing two Avatar sequels as his next film project, the studio bosses at Fox Filmed Entertainment announced Wednesday.

Just last week, in an interview with QMI Agency, Cameron said he might make another movie first while developing the sophisticated technology he believes he needs to make Avatars II and III more spectacular than the original. But he has now confirmed that he will go straight ahead with the sequels, which will be shot at the same time starting in 2011.

Release dates are tentatively set for December 2014 and December 2015.

Fox co-chairmen Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos said in a joint statement that they are excited. “We had no higher priority, and can feel no greater joy, than enabling Jim to continue and expand his vision of the world of Avatar. This is a great day in the history of our company.”

Calling his work on Avatar “an epic journey,” Cameron said of his sequels: “It is a rare and remarkable opportunity when a filmmaker gets to build a fantasy world, and watch it grow, with the resources and partnership of a global media company.”

How ‘Avatar’ Sequel Will Go Underwater

Now that James Cameron has confirmed plans to make two sequels to his $2 billion-plus monster hit “Avatar,” the movie industry is clamoring to know about the cutting-edge technologies he’ll be using to make the fantasy world of Pandora even more dazzling.

Cameron hasn’t said anything about the technologies yet, but he has indicated that the first sequel will take place underwater. The U.K’s Daily Mail reported that the director “has commissioned a bespoke submarine, built of high-tech, man-made composite materials and powered by electric motors, which will be capable of surviving the tremendous pressures at a depth of seven miles, from which he will shoot 3-D footage that may be incorporated in Avatar’s sequel.”

Terrence Masson says Cameron, like “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, has a “history of inventing and pushing new technologies. I’m betting [Cameron is] going to push camera manufacturers to make smaller, lighter, cheaper, more accurate 3-D stereography rigs.”

Right now, 3-D camera rigs are heavy and bulky, so it’s hard to do several camera set ups a day, says Masson, who has worked on animation at Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic and consulted for Disney and DreamWorks.

Richard Weinberg, a professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, says Cameron likely will use computer-generated technologies as well. “I can only guess he’ll do a combination of simulation of underwater characters and environments and take some cameras underwater like he did in ‘Titanic,’ ” Weinberg says. “If you’re filming underwater, you can only see so far. I would expect that there would be an integration of simulated underwater landscape with whatever he’s able to capture.”

Masson also says that Cameron will be sure to squeeze the most out of existing movie technologies for the “Avatar” sequels. “He optimizes existing technologies, and takes stuff out of the esoteric and bleeding edge and makes it work well on large scale productions,” Masson says.

The second “Avatar” movie is scheduled to begin filming next year and hit movie theaters in 2014; the third installment is slated for 2015.

Ending Scene Is Key to ‘Avatar’ Sequels: Pregnant Na’vis

“Avatar” 2 and 3 don’t drop in theaters until December 2014 and 2015, but fans of the first James Cameron film looking for hints as to what to expect may find the answer in one of the never-before-seen final scenes.

As Yahoo! Movies points out, James Cameron may have included the beginning of a new storyline in the ending of “Avatar,” even if it did not get played on cinema screens.

The “Extended Collector’s Edition,” out this month, includes a scene that plays right after the theatrical ending – and in which one Na’vi woman is shown with a belly bump, while it is being suggested that Neytiri will soon be a mom too.

After the scene that shows the Na’vis herding the humans towards their ship, seeing them on their way home, the film immediately cuts to a scene that is clearly only in the first production stages.

“Cut to somewhat jerky animation of blue children gamboling in a pond,” Yahoo! Movies writes. Since the narrator is speaking about rebirth and how the forest will heal, it’s no wonder children are shown.

“The forest will heal. And so will the hearts of the people. New life keeps the energy flowing like the birth of the world,” the voice of the narrator says.

Aside from the use of “birth” there, the images too suggest that there are little Na’vi babies on the way – and that Neytiri too will have one.

“As we hear this, Jake rises from the water clutching a fish, sees Neytiri, his bonded brain-braid soul mate, and places a hand on her tummy,” Yahoo! writes.

The conclusion can’t be but one: Neytiri is pregnant, which means the sequel (and probably threequel, too) will also include subplots with the younger generation.

“It sure does look like it. If she is pregnant, does this mean that that Jakesully’s offspring will be the center of the other two movies in the ‘Avatar’ trilogy? Whatever the answers, Cameron is reportedly keeping his mouth shut on the matter,” the same report notes.

Cameron confirms 'Avatar' sequels

LOS ANGELES -- Returning to Pandora is now a sure thing, according to James Cameron. The colourful Canadian-born filmmaker plans to direct two Avatar sequels himself, he said this week at his Hollywood studio.

"It's in progress right now," Cameron said. "I mean, there's a lot of writing, a lot of designing, a lot of tech work that we're going to do. What I can tell you is this: Our plan right now is to make II and III together as a single large production, and release them a year apart."

But the process might take five or six years.

"There shouldn't be any surprise there," he said, mocking himself. While perfecting new Avatar technology, he might make another movie first, Cameron explained during presentations to promote the Nov. 16 release of the Extended Collector's Edition of the original Avatar on Blu-ray.

Meanwhile, Cameron is writing an Avatar novel, with 30 years of back story. He also is deeply involved with eco-activist causes that solicited him after the phenomenal success of Avatar, which is driven by an environmental theme. His focus includes fighting the Alberta tar sands development, which Cameron says is "poisoning" First Nations people and creating "cancer clusters" in communities downstream from the massive oil extraction projects.

THE SEQUELS: Cameron says he wants to make sure that breakthrough technology that turned Avatar into a spectacle is now pushed forward. "We need to future-proof ourselves out five, six years to the end of the third film. So we're taking the time now."

His team is "tooling up a new facility" near his current studio just for the sequels. "It's permanent in the sense that it's designed to span two Avatar films. We're laying all the foundation work right now. Nothing is holding us back." But digital technology moves quickly, and Cameron says Avatar convinced him "there are a lot of things we knew we needed to do better." The goal, he says, is to ensure "we're not obsolete when we make the last movie."

THE NOVEL: "The novel is a big project. My idea for the novel is not a novelization -- which I hate -- where you basically just take the script and put it into prose form, and add a few extra adjectives. What I really want to do is say: 'OK, if this movie were based on a book, what would that book have been?' "

Cameron is already deep into it. The novel will end like the first movie. "I don't give you one frame beyond that. But how about the 30 years before Jake gets to Pandora?"

THE ECO-ACTIVISM: Cameron says he remains committed to select causes among hundreds he has been approached about. "We've had to be selective because we can't get involved in every single cause everywhere. Even if I devoted the rest of my life to it, we can't do everything."

He intensely researches each cause he does support, including fighting the Alberta tar sands project. The goal there is to get the Alberta government and the oil companies to mitigate the effects of pollution, Cameron says.

"It's not me," he said of his influence. "A year ago I couldn't have stood up and done all that stuff -- and nobody would have asked me to. It's really that the movie has created this kind of global consciousness around this idea that we have to do something about our relationship with nature. I'm also not, by the way, delusional that a movie can change the world. But I do believe that, if you put a foot in the right direction and then you follow up ... But I can't wait until I make another Avatar movie (to act). There are too many important things that are happening right now."

Avatar Sequel - James Cameron Plans Historical Deep-Sea Dive

The Avatar Sequel - James Cameron's next big production is already in the works in Australia. The Avatar director is planning on traveling 36,000ft to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean to shoot footage for the sequel to his 2009 block-buster.

To reach such depths, the filmmaker has commissioned engineers to build a custom vessel to explore the deep blue.

***

According to the Daily Express, the two-seater submersible will come equipped with 3D cameras to record footage underwater.

"We are building a vehicle to do the dive. It's about half-completed in Australia," Cameron said.

If the 56-year-old Oscar-winner makes it to the bottom, he will only the second ever team to do so. A navy lieutenant and a scientist took five hours to descend to the sea floor in 1960.

Sigourney Weaver Hints At Return In ‘Avatar’ Sequel

Even though her scientist character in James Cameron’s “Avatar” didn’t quite make it to the end credits, Sigourney Weaver is nonetheless hinting that she may yet return in the sequel.

Asked about “Avatar 2″, she told Contact News: “Well, I’m not at liberty to talk about it, but anything can happen in science fiction.”

In an interview with Collider.com, she all but confirmed it when asked whether she would return to the “Aliens” franchise currently going through a reboot.

“No, I don’t think so,” she said. “I think my “Alien” days are over. My “Avatar” days are beginning.”

Jessica Alba up for Avatar sequel

Jessica Alba has revealed she would be up for appearing in Avatar 2.

The US actress would relish the thought of working with filmmaker James Cameron again, after he gave her her big break when he picked her to star in cult TV series Dark Angel.

"He knows where to find me - I'm always available to him," she told GQ.

"If we can work together and have a successful movie and make a lot of money, then great. But most importantly, he's my friend."

Jessica, who next stars in Robert Rodriguez's Machete, added: "Career-wise, the most impactful people for me have been James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez."

The 29-year-old also admitted she felt nervous around Robert De Niro, who she co-stars with in the slasher thriller.

"It felt like I was dreaming. You work with De Niro and you suddenly feel totally different," she said.

"My heart was beating fast, I got tongue-tied, I was sweating and so nervous. But he was so sweet, and gentle, calm, quiet and kept to himself."

She couldn't resist asking him for advice: "I said to him, 'Robert, please help me, I don't want to f**k this up, please don't let me suck'."

Avatar Sequel to be Announced Soon

Talking about 3D at a technology forum in Seoul, South Korea, James Cameron said that he estimates it will take about three years to make the Avatar sequel. That's 18 months less than it took the first.

He said that the release date for the follow-up will be announced in a few months.

Cameron previously revealed that the sequel would focus on Pandora's ocean. "I'm going to be focusing on the ocean on Pandora, which will be equally rich and diverse and crazy and imaginative, but it just won't be a rain forest. I'm not saying we won't see what we've already seen; we'll see more of that as well," he said.

The first film has earned a massive $2.718 billion worldwide and has sold more than 19.7 million DVD and Blu-ray discs in three weeks.

comingsoon.net

Sigourney Weaver Returning for Avatar 2?

Sigourney Weaver is returning for the sequel to Avatar? While it may surprise you at first, after you listen to Weaver explain how this can happen it does make sense. CineTVBuzz.com alerted us to the following:Sigourney Weaver is in Paris this weekend to honor Harrison Ford during the Cesar Awards (the French Oscars). She was today in the TV show "Le Grand Journal". She was asked if she would be part of "Avatar 2" and from what she said, it was clear she already talked about it with James Cameron and she surely would be part of it.

James Cameron Confirms 'Technical Discussions' About 'Avatar' Sequel

Writer/director discussed the possibility of a follow-up to the highest-grossing domestic film of all time on 'Larry King Live.'

On the same day that "Avatar" was officially announced as the highest-grossing domestic film of all time ($601 million at the box office and counting), writer/director James Cameron appeared on "Larry King Live" to talk all things blue and alien, as well as a tiny bit about the sequel that we all know by now is going to happen.

"[W]e have had some technical discussions of how we would do it," Cameron said on Wednesday's program.

That vaguely worded statement might jibe with rumors circulating on the Web that technical crew for an "Avatar" sequel are already being hired. One might have hoped for King to follow up with a probing question or three, but the CNN host seemed content to move on. Sit-down interviews with Cameron are hard to come by these days (unless you're Oprah), so King's interview represented a significant missed opportunity to reveal breaking news. Instead, King spent his time rehashing the cinematic past, talking B.O. numbers and giggling over a mockup of himself as a blue Na'vi alien.

What else was there to discuss? Well, we know from actor Joel David Moore that the cast have been involved in discussions about a sequel. And we know from producer Jon Landau that the pressure's on to jump right back into a sequel rather than start a different project. And we know Cameron has a pretty good idea of where the next story will go.

All or any of this information would have provided the basis for a compelling line of questioning, but it was not to be. Oh, Larry, what could have been! For now we'll have to wait, both for word from Cameron's Fox overlords and for the man who's made the top two highest-grossing films ever to get to work. "I have a trilogy-scaled arc of story right now, but I haven't really put any serious work into writing a script," Cameron told us in December.

http://www.mtv.com/