The light of one of the planet’s most profitable movie series may be about to be transferred, as Aquaman and Furious 7 helmer James Wan announced interest in assuming direction of the Avatar series if Titanic helmsman James Cameron relinquishes the series.
During a recent press event for the release of The Copenhagen Test on the Peacock platform, a question about this project arose. “I have not done Avatar…” he said. “Yeah, if you could put a good one for me with James Cameron, I’d love to take a crack at that.” This kind of comment immediately sparks rumors and speculation among the general public and insiders.
When the billion-dollar club was pitched
The relevant date of Wan’s declaration is important. “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” which came out on December 19, 2025, has broken the $1.1 billion barrier as of early January 2026. Although the commercial success of the film is not in doubt, Cameron, now 71, has intimated that the production rigor of Pandora may finally necessitate that he share directing duties of the concluding films.
Industry observers say Wan has a rare set of skills for the job. His take on Aquaman represented a significant advancement of underwater motion capture—a natural extension of Cameron’s virtual film work from The Way of Water. Critics note that Wan has a natural balance of world-building and action, saying he is a “natural heir” to the storytelling tradition of the Na’vi tribe.
Just how much Cameron may transition to a mentorship role has been implied in statements by Cameron himself. In an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron said that he had learned how to expand the second unit concept, implying that, in addition to making decisions regarding the creative aspects of the film, other directors may handle actual directing duties.
At present, Disney has Avatar 4 slated to come out on December 21 in 2029, allowing Cameron and his successors in waiting to prepare for the challenge that lies ahead.
Other contenders in Hollywood rumor cycles have included Robert Rodriguez and Guillermo del Toro, but no other individual combines the blockbuster track record with the tech-savvy that Wan offers.
The bigger question is whether Disney will give a leader other than Cameron to handle this treasure. With his track record of handling enormous budgets and high-stakes visual effects to deliver in an international setting, some say that James Wan has what it takes to successfully move this entire universe into a new decade. Currently, speculations about James Wan taking over Pandora are something that everyone is watching with bated breath.
With Cameron possibly moving to the background and news of Wan’s interest going public, the next chapter of Pandora could be on the cusp of a historical shift.
- Global Current Box Office for Avatar: Fire and Ash: 1.087 Billion.
- Scheduled Release Date for Avatar 4: December 21, 2029
