Director of the Avatar franchise, James Cameron, has revealed that he is prepared for multiple outcomes in terms of the future of the Avatar franchise. These paths depend on the performance of the upcoming third installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Cameron sat down with entertainment journalist and host of the news podcast The Town, Matthew Belloni. In the interview, Cameron acknowledged the current industry challenges and explained that “sequelitis. People tend to dismiss sequels,” although he views Fire and Ash as “the culmination of a story arc.” He added “that may not be how the public sees it.”

Cameron went on to say that he understands that the franchise may end with the upcoming installment if necessary. “Absolutely. I’ve been in Avatar land for 20 years, actually 30 years because I wrote it in ’95,” he noted, adding that the upcoming film will resolve multiple narratives. According to Cameron, “If this is where it ends, cool. There is one open thread. I’ll write a book.”

On the other hand, Cameron is also prepared if Fire and Ash succeeds. However, with a slight change, he is open to passing directing duties to someone else, highlighting that his participation would still be significant: “Absolutely not… I could produce. I don’t think there’d ever be another Avatar movie that I didn’t produce closely.”

Early predictions for the film suggest that it is unlikely to surpass the record-breaking performance of The Way of Water, which grossed $2.34 billion, making it the third-highest-grossing film of all time, only behind the original Avatar and Avengers: Endgame. Nonetheless, projections show it is expected “to open to around $110 million,” with a range of “$100 million… to $130 million.”

Overall, whether Fire and Ash will be the end of the franchise remains unclear. Cameron’s comments make clear that if it is the end, audiences will reach a conclusion that “doesn’t leave things feeling unfinished.”