Developing James Cameron's Avatar franchise into a TV show would pose a major issue, but one that is a blessing in disguise. After its release in theaters, the first Avatar film received worldwide praise for its impressive motion capture technology and special effects, as well as its use of 3D. Based on the ten-foot-tall blue-skinned Na'vi aliens and their conflict with humans, the movie was always meant to be seen on the big screen. At this point, there's no doubt Avatar's realistic-looking CGI and detailed environments contributed to its success and helped bring the immersive world of Pandora to life.
The commercial performance of Avatar's sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, proves audiences want to see more from this world. It passed $1.7 billion at the global box office less than a month after its release. Although the success of Avatar: The Way of Water is a major plus, there are still many questions to answer and storylines to explore on Pandora after two films. Developing the Avatar franchise into a spinoff TV series could alleviate the issue of James Cameron's world not having comprehensively deep lore. However, doing so poses a significant problem. Even so, the problem's nature means the future of the Avatar franchise is healthier.
It's Good Avatar TV Shows Can't Happen Yet
In recent years, director James Cameron has said he'd be open to exploring more of Pandora in a television series. However, it would take at least ten years to get to that point. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, James Cameron mentioned that Avatar doesn't translate well to TV because of the pedantic approach to realistic CGI needed to develop the characters, which would be very costly and labor-intensive. Another factor is that James Cameron's technology for Avatar isn't yet advanced enough. Realistically speaking, the visual depth and immersive environments that Pandora and its Na'vi characters provide are best suited for the big screen.
It would be difficult for the studio to try and match the scale and scope of the previous Avatar films with something made for TV. This could, however, end up being a good thing. In this way, Disney wouldn't be able to saturate its streaming platform with Avatar-related content, and the movies would be able to exist as a standalone theatrical series, preserving the consistency of the visual effects as well as the canon. If James Cameron's Avatar never turns into a TV series, he can still expand the lore within his science-fiction universe through comic books or novels.
What An Avatar TV Spinoff Could Be About
In Avatar, it's stated by Jake Sully that at least fifteen Na'vi clans exist on Pandora. The first Avatar showed snippets of the other Na'vi warriors, such as the Olangi, the Tayrangi, and the Omaticaya clans, most notably during preparation for the film's final battle sequence. The idea of there being other Na'vi species is illustrated by James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, which showcases the Metkayina Clan, who have a close relationship with the sea.
If an Avatar TV spinoff is developed, a deeper look into the life of the other Na'vi clans can expand Cameron's universe. Each group has a different way of life, and it would be interesting to see if any of Avatar's Na'vi are evil and potential villains. It's evident that each clan wears a different style of paint or tattoos on their bodies, presumably signifying a uniqueness about them. Whatever the future for the Avatar franchise holds, whether it be on the big screen or as a TV show, there remains much to be seen about Pandora and its people.
