After years of planning and several delays, production has started on the Avatar sequels. Avatar 2, Avatar 3, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 have started filming simultaneously in Manhattan Beach with a reported budget of $1 billion (Rs 6550 crore).
Deadline reports that director James Cameron has started filming sequels to his 2009 blockbuster, which is the highest-grossing film ever. Avatar broke box office records with over $2.7 billion at the box office and kicked off a new wave of 3D films. Only two other films have crossed $2 billion at the box office - Cameron’s own Titanic, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
It is expected to be the most expensive shoot ever.
However, shooting multiple sequels back-to-back isn’t an unheard of practice. Peter Jackson filmed all three Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies together - mostly so that there wouldn’t be too much of a gap between films. The two Avengers films are being shot in a similar manner. Over ten years would have passed by the time Avatar 2 hits theatres in 2020. Avatar 3 will arrive a year later, and Avatar 4 and 5 will be released in 2024 and 2025.
While the budget is indeed high, individual Avatar films will cost approximately $250 million (Rs 1600 crore) - a standard budget for tentpole films. Meanwhile, it is also being reported that the next two Avengers films will cost $500 million (Rs 3280 crore) each, mostly to pay for the large ensemble cast.
{{/usCountry}}While the budget is indeed high, individual Avatar films will cost approximately $250 million (Rs 1600 crore) - a standard budget for tentpole films. Meanwhile, it is also being reported that the next two Avengers films will cost $500 million (Rs 3280 crore) each, mostly to pay for the large ensemble cast.
{{/usCountry}}The most expensive film ever produced is the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, On Stranger Tides, which cost nearly $400 million before advertising and publicity.
Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang and Sigourney Weaver will return. New cast members include Cliff Curtis and Oona Chaplin.
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