No, it’s not the sequel, but viewers might get a chance to head back into the theater for more Avatar as early as this summer.
The Hollywood Reporter says that James Cameron and FOX are in negotiations to re-release Avatar in theaters late in the summer to make up for what they speculate was millions lost to being bumped from screens to make way for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. To add some incentive, up to 40 minutes of new footage could be added to the film, which could draw audience members back to Pandora. (Read our review of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland)
We’ll just call it Avatar 1.5
Before Alice, Avatar was still dominating in 4,215 North American theaters, plus 197 IMAX theaters. But after Wonderland showed up, Avatar‘s count dropped to 667 theaters, and eight IMAX theaters. It’s no wonder that Cameron feels slighted, but will Avatar part ll push other summer blockbusters off screens before their time? Probably. Though installation of 3D screens is on the rise, there are still only a limited number available, leaving the hottest 3D contenders to duke it out over screen time.
We saw as Cameron got little love from Oscar last weekend, and we’re wondering if this will just fuel the spite.
(More on Techland: James Cameron Says Hollywood Doesn’t Get Avatar’s Success)