Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron spoke with AICN this week and confirmed that his famous "Project 880" is in fact a retooled version of his long gestating "Avatar" project which has been on the boards since he wrapped "Titanic".
The original script by Cameron was set on an exotic alien world and deals with a tender romance between a female alien and a human-alien hybrid. Their romance was set against the growing hostility of a peaceful race of people harassed by humans who've installed an army base and plan to encroach on their land.
Cameron confirmed that he still doesn't know if it is going to be "Avatar" that comes next or his adaptation of manga classic "Battle Angel Alita" which he sees as the first in a trilogy of films. Two separate teams at Cameron's Lightstorm Studios are concurrently prepping and getting ready to shoot both films back to back essentially over a three year span, and the decision over which will go first probably won't be made until the last minute when everything is ready to go. That point is expected to be in a few months.
A lot also has to do with the technology being developed at the studios, whichever film goes first will mark the debut of his new high frame rate, next-generation 3D 'Fusion Camera'. The technology, along with its home entertainment equivalent, is already developed and being put into use in practical applications ranging from Mars missions to filming a U2 concert. Cameron's already at work on applying the technology to redo some of his older classics like "Terminator 2" and "Titanic" and will also be using it on his recently locked "Dive" project.
