James Cameron’s first movie after the completion ofAvatar 5has been revealed.The TerminatorandTitanicdirector has spent the past decades working onAvatarand its many sequels, and is committed to completing the third, fourth, and fifth installments in the lucrative science-fiction franchise. TheupcomingAvatar: Fire and Ash, is slated for a 2025 release, whileAvatar 4andAvatar 5are scheduled for 2029 and 2031 as the story of Pandora and the Na’vi continues.
According toDeadline,Cameron’s first movie afterAvatar 5will beLast Train from Hiroshima. The story is based on Charles Pellegrino’s 2015 book of the same name and Pellegrino’s upcoming book,Ghosts of Hiroshima, both of which feature eyewitness accounts of Japanese civilians and American pilots who saw the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Cameron’s movie will focus on a Japanese man who survives the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, and then boards a train to Nagasaki, only to survive the atomic bomb there as well. Read Cameron’s comments about the movie below:
It’s a subject that I’ve wanted to do a film about, that I’ve been wrestling with how to do it, over the years. I met Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a survivor of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, just days before he died. He was in the hospital. He was handing the baton of his personal story to us, so I have to do it. I can’t turn away from it.
What This Means For James Cameron’s Future
He Has A Deeply Personal Stake In His First Post-Avatar Movie
While Cameron will remain busy with theAvatarmoviesfor several years to come, the director has firmly committed to creatingLast Train from Hiroshima. This movie’s importance transcends Cameron and his creative interests, asafter meeting Yamaguchi,Cameron and Pellegrino promised to"pass on his unique and harrowing experience to future generations.”While Cameron has directed many iconic movies,Last Train from Hiroshimais poised to be one of the most important in his career.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar 5
June 07, 2025
WithAvatar 5not releasing until 2031, though, and work still needing to be done onAvatar: Fire and AshandAvatar 4, Cameron will be unable to be fully committed toLast Train from Hiroshimaany time soon. Between theAvatarsequels and this newly confirmed project,Cameron already has a full slate of movies to direct for the next decade. On top of all these commitments, Cameron previously announced he was also writing ascript forTerminator 7, although that movie has not yet been officially greenlit.
Our Take On James Cameron’s First Post-Avatar Movie
It Is A Meaningful Next Step For The Director’s Career
I am thrilled to hear that Cameron is committed to directing another movie afterAvatar 5and am intrigued by it being such a harrowing and important true story. While I enjoyedAvatar,The Way of Water, and will see the sequels, I miss having Cameron direct a wider variety of movies. A movie about a survivor of both atomic bombs is a meaningful story forJames Cameronto make, especially given the promise he made to Yamaguchi, and will provide a completelydifferent perspective on this aspect of World War II history than Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimer.
Avatar
TheAvatarfranchise, created by James Cameron, is a groundbreaking sci-fi saga set in the lush, alien world of Pandora. It explores the conflict between the indigenous Na’vi people and human colonizers from Earth, focusing on themes of environmentalism, imperialism, and the clash of civilizations. The franchise is renowned for its innovative use of 3D technology and visual effects, creating a visually stunning and immersive cinematic experience.
