At this point, iconic movie directors criticizing superhero movies is a national pastime. From Ridley Scott calling them “boring” to Martin Scorsese famously declaring them “not cinema,” we’ve heard it all before. Now comes James Cameron, who’s promoting his upcoming Avatar sequel, The Way of Water.
When it premiered in 2009, Avatar took the world by storm. It became the most lucrative movie of all time, earning a ridiculously impressive 2.922 billion USD at the global box office. Of course, it’s been over a decade since then, and Avatar has somewhat fallen out of the conversation. Nobody really asked for a sequel… never mind four of them. But that’s what we’re getting.
Never write off James Cameron. His track record speaks for itself, especially for sequels; look no further than Terminator 2 and Aliens. So what does he have against superhero movies? “When I look at these big, spectacular films – I’m looking at you, Marvel and DC – it doesn’t matter how old the characters are, they all act like they’re in college,” he told The New York Times.
"They have relationships, but they really don’t. They never hang up their spurs because of their kids. The things that really ground us and give us power, love, and a purpose? Those characters don’t experience it, and I think that’s not the way to make movies."
James Cameron doesn’t like the way Marvel and DC superheroes are written
All that said, it’d would be disingenuous to simply call Cameron a superhero movie hater. In fact, back when Avengers: Endgame dethroned his movie Titanic at the box office, he commended Marvel Studios for keeping the movie industry not only alive, but thriving:
— James Cameron (@JimCameron) May 9, 2019
Turning to Avatar 2, the movie will pick up over a decade after the first one. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) are now raising a family. “For me, as a parent of five kids, I’m saying, ‘What happens when those characters mature and realize that they have a responsibility outside their own survival?'” Cameron said.
"I knew as I was writing it that Sam and Zoe were new parents and that this stuff would resonate for them, but if you’re speaking to a young audience, let them feel validated that kids on another planet, 200 years from now, are going through the same crap they’re going through right now."
Funnily enough, after a rerelease, Avatar has reclaimed the title of the highest-grossing movie ever. Better luck next time, Avengers!
Avatar: The Way of Water will premiere on December 16. Will it smash another box office record?
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