Avatar 2 is ‘very f**king’ expensive – James Cameron

Avatar: The Way of the Water filming has reportedly gone so far over budget the movie will need to be the third or fourth highest-grossing box office hit just to break even.

Despite director James Cameron dodging the question surrounding actual budget figures, early reports placed production fees in the $250million (£211m) range.

In order to set the balance right again, the upcoming release will have to knock its 2009 predecessor off the top highest-grossing movies spot where it has sat for years on a staggering $2.9billion (£2.4bn).

Landing in second place, Disney’s Avengers: Endgame guards a cool $2.7bn (£2.3bn) and James’s other creation Titanic brings up the rear with $2.1 bn (£1.8bn).

Probed by GQ, the famous director remained tight-lipped on the colossal project but did offer that is was: ‘Very f**king [expensive]’.

Among the other comments floating around from James on the topical budget, he reportedly told Disney and 20th Century Studios executives that the sequel was costing so much it was shaping up to be ‘the worst business case in movie history’.

James Cameron’s first Avatar movie is still the highest-grossing of all time

The creative explained: ‘You have to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history.

‘That’s your threshold. That’s your break even.’

As it stands, the highly anticipated sequel – that comes over 10 years after the first Avatar made history – would have to outsell Star Wars: The Force Awakens or Avengers: Infinity War to nab a spot in the top five.

Judging from the reaction to the two-minute trailer released ahead of the feature film, The Way of Water may have a chance to blast its way back into the plus margin of the accountant’s books.

Offering fans a snippet of what’s to come, the preview opened with members of the Na’vi sitting on ikrans’ backs, flying mythical creatures over a breath taking waterfall.

Main characters are seen taking their young ones to a new tribe and looking for shelter as huge mechanical suits operated by humans trample through their forest.

The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet and opens in cinemas December 16.

If two adaptations weren’t enough, fans will be treated to a third that’s set for release December 20, 2024.

Avatar 2 The Way Of Water is in cinemas December 16.