James Cameron may not direct Avatar 4 and 5

James Cameron may not direct 'Avatar 4 and 5'.

The 67-year-old filmmaker has completed filming on 'Avatar: The Way of Water' and 'Avatar 3' - which will be released in December 2022 and December 2024 respectively - and though two further films in the franchise are planned, the director has admitted he may want to "pass the baton" on taking the helm of the rest of the series because the movies are so "all-consuming".

He told Empire magazine: “The 'Avatar' films themselves are kind of all-consuming.

"I’ve got some other things I’m developing as well that are exciting. I think eventually over time – I don’t know if that’s after three or after four – I’ll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can go do some other stuff that I’m also interested in. Or maybe not. I don’t know.”

James - whose first 'Avatar' came out in December 2009 - is very excited about the overall messaging in the film series, and is particularly excited for fans to see the planned fourth movie.

He said: “Everything I need to say about family, about sustainability, about climate, about the natural world, the themes that are important to me in real life and in my cinematic life, I can say on this canvas.

“I got more excited as I went along. Movie four is a corker. It’s a motherf*****. I actually hope I get to make it. But it depends on market forces.

"Three is in the can so it’s coming out regardless. I really hope that we get to make four and five because it’s one big story, ultimately.”

'Avatar: The Way of Water' is set over a decade after the original movie and features a cast including Kate Winslet, Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver.