Sigourney Weaver Provides Update on Avatar 3 Filming and Potential Release Delay

 

Sigourney Weaver, an actress in the upcoming movie Avatar 3, provided an update on the film's production. She clarified that while they will do some more filming in January, it won't involve shooting entirely new scenes. The purpose is to refine the existing footage as director James Cameron is getting closer to completing the editing process. Weaver mentioned that Cameron always has a lot of material because he loves to shoot. She hasn't seen any footage yet, as it is kept top secret even from the cast. She expects to see about 20 minutes of the movie when she returns in January for a day of shooting.

There has been confusion about the progress of Avatar 3, with conflicting statements from Cameron and co-star Zoe Saldaña. Cameron had previously stated that the movie was 95% complete back in 2020, while Saldaña mentioned in March that the production was only 70% done. Weaver's update suggests that Avatar 3 is somewhere in between those percentages, requiring some additional pickup work and photography next year.

The ongoing WGA writers strike might delay the resumption of filming, especially since Cameron is a writer on the movie. The tentative schedule for the additional shooting is set for January 2024, unless there are further delays due to the strike.

The question arises whether Avatar 3's release date will be pushed back due to the remaining production work. The extensive visual effects involved in Cameron's movies might play a significant role in determining if CGI work is necessary and could potentially cause a delay. However, considering the success of Avatar: The Way of Water, the previous film in the series, after a long wait of 13 years, fans of the franchise are likely willing to be patient if needed.