Hoping to save production costs wherever it can, James Cameron’s Avatar series has relocated to New Zealand, where it can take advantage of a hefty tax rebate arranged by the government, as well the fact that the entire nation was designed in Peter Jackson’s workshop to service all of Hollywood’s 3-D fantasies. In addition to pledging to keep New Zealand from falling into dereliction—its citizens, squatting in decaying Hobbit houses, considering turning to Mortal Instruments movies, or even more explicit prostitution—Cameron also discussed how the upcoming Avatars 2, 3, and 4 would keep expanding the original’s scope (even as it makes sure to bring back the characters who made that one successful).
Noting that the first film was “very Jake-centric,” Cameron said Avatar is “really the story of his family, the family he creates on Pandora. His extended family. So think of it as a family saga like The Godfather,” making the sort of statement about a big, blue rabbit-person movie only James Cameron can get away with. However, while you’re thinking of Avatar as an alien Godfather, don’t think of it as an underwater Godfather, despite those previous reports that the sequels take place almost entirely within the depths of the ocean.
As emperor of those oceans, James Cameron can now tell you that’s not the case, acknowledging there will be “a fair bit of underwater stuff” and some “indigenous ocean cultures,” but that it will be mixed in with the rest of the normal, rain forest hijinks. In James Cameron’s alien Godfather, it’s likely no one will be sleeping with the fishes. However, they may be doing that weird ponytail thing with the fishes.