Date: 4th June 2013

Cameron puts Avatar before ocean.


James Cameron has announced he is putting his deep sea explorations on hold to focus on his next Avatar films.

The Titanic director - who has a fascination with the underwater environment - is currently touring the US with his one man submarine Deepsea Challenger, but told Variety it is set to be housed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and put into a "dormant" state for now.

Cameron explained: "Making it operational is really funding for ship time, which really boils down to fuel to get it out to some of these remote sites for diving."

"So at some point, ideally, we'll go raise millions of dollars together to go take the sub out on a new programme. If it happens without me, it can happen at any point, if it happens with me, it has to happen after the Avatar films."

The director has written two sequels to his Oscar-winning 2009 film Avatar, set on the mythical planet of Pandora.

He took inspiration from his research into aquatic life to create the imaginary world of Pandora and has previously revealed he wants to set at least one of the sequels in Pandora's ocean.

Cameron took the Deepsea Challenger to the deepest spot in the Earth's oceans in March 2012. He was only the third person to reach the depth of more than 35,000 feet, and the first to go there solo.

He will reveal what happened on his voyage in the upcoming documentary Deepsea Challenge 3D.

Source: Press Release