Cameron stands by film’s December 2021 release schedule as live-action pickups for his ‘Avatar’ sequels have resumed in New Zealand.
James Cameron has never been one to rest on his laurels, or do anything short of epic. It's no surprise, then, that Cameron is one of the first big Hollywood directors back to work after his initial shutdown during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s right, Avatar 2 is back in production after a 3-month hiatus. To ensure infection doesn’t spread on set, the entire team, including Cameron, self-quarantined for two full weeks. While all motion captures are complete for both Avatar 2 and Avatar 3, Cameron and crew must still shoot live-action pickups in beautiful and purportedly coronavirus case-free New Zealand. The decision of the New Zealand government to allow production to resume has caused some political backlash, as many local industries remain on lockdown.
As for the gargantuan amount of VFX and other production work, Cameron assures, "We've got everybody - everybody at Weta Digital and Lightstorm - working from home to the extent that that is possible.” Never one for lack of confidence, Cameron claims Avatar 2 will still be released December 2021.
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