Cameron's 'Avatar' takes flight

'Titanic' helmer James Cameron is finally set to start work on a new feature.

Jan  9 2007

Having spent the last 12 years indulging his passion for underwater documentaries and no doubt counting all the money he made from 'Titanic', James Cameron is finally set to start work on a new feature film.

Called 'Avatar', the $200 million pic is 'The story of a wounded ex-marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival.'

Sam Worthington ('Somersault') has been cast as said marine, while relative newcomer Zoe Saldana will play his love interest.

Principal photography will be in 3-D, with Cameron predicting there will be nearly 2,000 3-D screens in the US by the time of the film's 2009 release. The international roll-out of the film may be more problematic however, as the rest of the world is very much playing catch up when it comes to 3-D theatres.

The writer-director is currently working on the design of the humanoid indigenous alien species, although he has already revealed that they will be huge, blue buggers with the ability to see in the dark. Peter Jackson's effects shop Weta will create them, while a movement coach from Cirque du Soleil is to train the actors for their motion capture work and a linguistics professor will coach them on the alien accent.

20th Century Fox have signed the actors up for future instalments in the hope that the film will form the first part of a potentially lucrative franchise, although Cameron is being more cautious. 'It's not a planned trilogy,' he explained. 'This one falls into the category of trilogy opportunity. If it makes a lot of money, it'll be a trilogy. If it doesn't make any money, we'll forget about it.'

Live action production is set to start on 'Avatar' in LA in April.