A few weeks ago we got word that James Cameron’s Avatar would cost between $250 – 300 million, which is not the cheapest of movies by any means. However, IESB recently spoke to Fox co-chairman Tom Rothman and he revealed that despite the budget talk, it is not the most expensive movie Fox has made.
I won’t comment on the exact budget except to say that as always with Jim [Cameron] everything is misreported, everything is exaggerated, because he is larger than life and so everything surrounding him tends to be larger than life. While it’s obviously an expensive movie, it’s not an unprecedented expensive movie and it’s not even the most expensive movie we’ve made at the company and certainly not close to the most expensive movie that’s been made in the business recently.
He then went on to say that if Avatar makes huge numbers next December, we could be getting a sequel.
Jim Cameron tends to make hits and if the movie is a hit then this is the beginning, certainly for both the use of the technology and the work, it’s not going to stop here. So, there’s long term value to it as well.
IESB: So, potentially, this is a franchise?
TR: If it does well, yes, absolutely, in terms of an arena a whole new world. But for us, it isn’t any of that, it isn’t even the technology, it isn’t even the look and the world all of which is the coolest shit I’ve ever seen, it isn’t even any of that, it’s that it’s a great story. It’s just a great story. You read the story and you are gripped by every page, it’s just a great, original story with tremendously, classic emotional value. So, at the end of the day, that’s really what we’re here for, to try and make great stories when you can find them.
