'Avatar' news: Four sequels to be produced back to back; video game adaptation also on the way

It has been eight years since the first "Avatar" film was released. The long duration has led many of its fans to believe that it will no longer have a follow-up. However, James Cameron has recently announced that he has just finished writing the scripts of four sequels to the film.

"The thing is, my focus isn't on Avatar 2. My focus is on Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5 equally. That's exactly how I'm approaching it. They've all been developed equally," Cameron said in an interview with The Daily Beast.

The film series was originally intended to be a trilogy, but it turned into five films because Cameron said he "overwrote" the material. All four films are expected to be shot back to back. The filmmakers will need a lot of time to put into post-production to provide filmgoers with a visual treat like in the first movie, which was heavy on special effects and CG animation.

Independent reported that filming for the "Avatar 2" will begin this August, with Manhattan Beach in California as the main shooting location. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are set to reprise their characters from the first movie. Little is known about the plot of the four upcoming films, only that the Na'vi will again be battling with humans. Similarly, no information has been given yet if Pandora will remain the primary setting for all of the upcoming movies.

In related "Avatar" news, a big-budget video game based on the first film is currently in production. Cameron, who is also be working on this, has partnered with Ubisoft for the project. No release date has been revealed about when the game will be released.

The release of the four "Avatar" films is expected to be spread out from 2018 to 2023. Some speculate that each of these films will be released in December, similar to the first film, to stand a greater chance of earning higher in the box office.