Avatar the Novel: Cameron Vowed if Pandora Made Money, ‘I’d Write a Book’

Point out the flaws in his films, pick at his public relations snafus, but always remember this: Never bet against James Cameron.

The man who launched the Terminator franchise, who rebuilt the Titanic, who dared to make the sequel to Alien – the most brilliant sci-fi horror film ever conceived – and who brought you face to face with underwater aliens in The Abyss, made it official at a New York City gala last night that his next foray will be into publishing. He plans to write a novelization of Avatar. (Read our Avatar interview with Cameron)

“There are things you can do in books that you can’t do with films,” the director said, according to the Wall Street Journal’s report of the evening’s festivities, going on to elaborate that he is constructing a novel that will follow Avatar’s basic plot, including numerous inner monologues. “I told myself, if it made money, I’d write a book,” he said.

I’ve been about as big a fan of Avatar as you will find on this planet. I firmly believe it represents the future of filmmaking, not only in terms of must-see 3D experiences, but also in terms of creating immersive moments (rather than Transformers-like special effects crescendos). I believe than another Avatar film – prequel or sequel – will prove fruitful both financially and creatively. (Freeze-Frame: Avatar’s Deep Horizons)

But a novel? For a film that is so much about the big-screen experience? That loses so much of its luster if viewed in traditional 2D?

I have to admit, Mr. Cameron: I don’t really see the point.

If Avatar had a weak element, it was a story that was slightly too derivative and familiar; A plot line that resembled everything from Dances With Wolves to FernGully. In the movie theater, Cameron’s groundbreaking 3D techniques overshadowed this tendency to skew shallow with the story. But on the printed page, by straining the film’s story down to its rough essentials, does Cameron risk underscoring his film’s biggest flaws?

Whatever the outcome, the news is official: Avatar the novel is coming soon to a bookstore near you, sure to be chock full of prequel or sequel details that will soon inundate us ad nauseum.

Don’t bet against Cameron, true, but also don’t bet against Hollywood’s capacity to ruin a good thing.

More at Techland: The best and worst of the 2010 toy fair.

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charlieromeobravo

On top of all the films that you listed let’s not forget that he also brought us True Lies. The man’s not *completely* infallible :)

I think he’s a stronger writer than other guys in his arena (Lucas and Jackson mainly) but that doesn’t mean he’s a good writer. Cameron understands story well enough to know how to use some emotional cues to keep people watching while his innovative visual style does the rest of the work. I can’t see myself wanting to read any novel he’s written, and I agree with you, particularly not about the Pandora/Avatar universe since the whole thing was carried along by the stunning visuals. Cameron said that he wanted to make a sequel because it seemed like a waste to spend ten year creating all those art assets only to use them in one film. I’m not sure what a sequel could hold that would be as interesting as the first Avatar (not a high bar given that the movie doesn’t stand up as well under repeated viewings) but it seems like he’d be more successful if he concentrated on that instead of the novel. When you’re so successful that you can literally do anything that you want it’s got to be tough not to succumb to flights of fancy and keep your core strengths in mind…
doubleang

Steven, you forgot to mention Disney’s Pocahontas. Avatar even took the mother tree! Much closer to that childrens flick than Dances w wolves
drad098

” I don’t really see the point.”

He’ll hack it out over 3 weekends and then sell a few million hardcovers to fanboys for $40 each.

There’s only a problem if someone actually tries to READ it. Leave it on a coffee table with an embossed Navi and ‘Written by James Cameron’ in big letters and you’re all good.
elcarnal

The whole point is to generate additional background to the characters, provide additional clues, leave a zillion lose ends and then generate a buzz around the fans…he is trying to build himself a large and strong base of hardcore fans. It will be read.