AVATAR Director James Cameron Pulled The Ultimate Power Move When Studio Wanted To Trim Movie's Run-Time

AVATAR Director James Cameron Pulled The Ultimate Power Move When Studio Wanted To Trim Movie's Run-Time

In a new interview, legendary director James Cameron reveals that he clashed with 20th Century Fox execs over Avatar's run-time, reminding them where their bread was buttered when they asked for cuts.

By MarkCassidy - Sep 20, 2022 07:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Avatar

There's probably only a handful of directors working today who could pull a power move like this, and James Cameron is one of them!

During an interview with The New York Times (via SFFGazette.com), the legendary filmmaker revealed that 20th Century Fox execs wanted to trim down Avatar's run-time by removing a key sequence. Cameron was adamant that the scene stay in the movie, and ensured the higher-ups came around to his way of thinking by dropping them a gentle reminder that the studio owes a lot of its success to the popularity of his films, particularly Titanic.

“I think I felt, at the time, that we clashed over certain things,” Cameron said. “For example, the studio felt that the film should be shorter and that there was too much flying around on the ikran — what the humans call the banshees. Well, it turns out that’s what the audience loved the most, in terms of our exit polling and data gathering. And that’s a place where I just drew a line in the sand and said, ‘You know what? I made ‘Titanic.’ This building that we’re meeting in right now, this new half-billion dollar complex on your lot? ‘Titanic’ paid for that, so I get to do this.’”

Despite its hefty run-time, Avatar would ultimately make over $2 billion for the studio and remains the highest grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office (unadjusted for inflation), so we'd say those execs made a smart move by trusting Cameron's instincts!

“And afterward, they thanked me,” he added. “I feel that my job is to protect their investment, often against their own judgment. But as long as I protect their investment, all is forgiven.”

Cameron has developed something of a reputation for being "difficult" to work with over the years, but it's impossible not to be impressed by the cojones it took to pull this off!

The first Avatar is returning to theaters on Sept. 23 in IMAX and 3D formats ahead of the release of first sequel Avatar: The Way of Water on Dec. 16.

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TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 9/20/2022, 7:37 AM
WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 9/20/2022, 7:43 AM
Studio was right in my IMO. I liked Avatar but recently I tried to rewatch it and it was a slog and I never finished it. That scene where he learns to fly just goes on and on way too long. At some point it's like we get it he enjoys flying now let's move on with the story. A shorter cut would be great and much better for replay value I think.
TheOtherOn
TheOtherOn - 9/21/2022, 1:02 AM
@WarMonkey - At least it's not like Iron-Man 1 where they show Tony Stark takes days/weeks (mostly off screen in a montage) learning how to fly and then at the end Obadiah happens to know it on the fly.... in a BIGGER suit.

In case if wondering, yup I prefer Avatar's approach here 😆
MovieMonster
MovieMonster - 9/20/2022, 7:56 AM
Based Cameron
dragon316
dragon316 - 9/20/2022, 8:18 AM
Can’t believe avatar is being rereleased in theaters again this Friday in three d and imax
four20smoke
four20smoke - 9/20/2022, 12:39 PM
@dragon316 - wait, u speak English now?
itzayaboy
itzayaboy - 9/20/2022, 8:26 AM
Most overrated director of all time. A true insufferable asshole.
RedFury
RedFury - 9/20/2022, 10:37 AM
@itzayaboy - I have to disagree with you there. T1, T2, Aliens, True Lies, The Abyss. Say what you will about Avatar, but he's got a damn solid list of films to his name.
Solarkalel85
Solarkalel85 - 9/20/2022, 10:54 AM
@itzayaboy - I would agree insufferable and I'd add a bit of a bollocks but not overrated
four20smoke
four20smoke - 9/20/2022, 12:44 PM
@itzayaboy - compared to whom??
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 9/20/2022, 1:24 PM
@RedFury -


You forgot titanic. It was an incredible film and iconic
RedFury
RedFury - 9/20/2022, 2:38 PM
@AmazingFILMporg - Titanic too! I remember seeing that in theatres back in grade 5. Drew pictures about it for weeks instead of listening in class lol.
EgoEgor
EgoEgor - 9/21/2022, 6:44 PM
@itzayaboy - overrated is a matter of opinion, but the man's resume speaks for itself. We're talking about Tim Burton or something. The guy was the king of sci-fi and action blockbusters in the 80s and 90s.
theFUZZ008
theFUZZ008 - 9/20/2022, 8:46 AM
He's still so megalomaniacal.
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 9/20/2022, 9:32 AM
They’re kinda right tho the movie is long as hell
ziexxx
ziexxx - 9/20/2022, 9:35 AM
I don't know which one I hate most : "Avatar" or "Justice League whatever cut" because on top of the movies being meh or mostly BAD... we've got to listen to their directors talking about them as if they have invented cinema, movies, showbusiness, storytelling...
RebelCommander
RebelCommander - 9/21/2022, 8:40 AM
@ziexxx - Well when an extremely loud minority of people from the internet are constantly whining and complaining about every minor aspect of a film or TV show, one would expect the film's director to defend their work. I don't think anyone generally likes being told their work is crap, especially from the keyboard warriors online
billnye69
billnye69 - 9/20/2022, 9:38 AM
There's a reason I ignore this mans movies and this is why right here.
connorblaze
connorblaze - 9/20/2022, 9:41 AM
[frick] he’s an egomaniac. It borders on self parody.

Avatar is such a stupid movie and so boring to sit through more than once. I don’t know how Titanic and Avatar are so high up on the highest gross list except that people love a gimmick. I mean that explains Avatar, dont know about Titanic. Never thought much of it to be honest.

But he has my respect for Aliens and T2. Man [frick]ing knew what he was doing on those.

Solarkalel85
Solarkalel85 - 9/20/2022, 10:56 AM
@connorblaze - I do not get titanic's success
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 9/20/2022, 1:18 PM
@Solarkalel85 - Romantic movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It's the quintessential date movie.
Jacory
Jacory - 9/20/2022, 9:49 AM
I mean he ended up being right ... both times, so can't knock him. And ... Avatar was an amazing movie. To those who may be reading, don't believe all the internet trolls on here.
ziexxx
ziexxx - 9/20/2022, 6:34 PM
@Jacory - The movie is pretty meh, it's OK if you find it amazing, can"t say nothing about that... but not every person who doesn't think the same as you is an 'internet troll' you know ? That's kind of how opinions work...

Let's pretend it's definitely not a ripoff of Pocahontas : what are the things that make you go "it's an amazing movie" ? I genuinely would like to know : visually it's pretty amazing sure, what else ? is one actor's performance in the entire movie really that good...?
Jacory
Jacory - 9/20/2022, 7:53 PM
@ziexxx - The direction of the movie. When that big ass tree fell, I remember watching it in theater thinking this reminds me of the entire sequence when the Titanic was sinking, ironically cause I didn't know James Cameron directed it at the time. Zoe Saldana's mo-cap performance and her relationship with Jake. The villains weren't really villains, but just doing their job, which I understood the motivation, not right, but understandable. The introduction and deep dive to a completely made-up culture which was an amalgamation of many indigenous cultures across the globe here on earth. The lore of the world. The deep dive into the main characters. The entire final climax, which was cinematically amazing in many ways and foreshadowed very well throughout the film, if you paid attention. I could go on and potentially write a paper on why I think the film is amazing other than the 3D/ special effects and it being a "rip-off" (which is a large chunk of movies btw. The Last Samurai essentially has the same story, and that movie is also great.). That's my point however. You can not like the movie, or think it's meh. That's fine. I hate Bridge to Terabithia, but understand why people like that movie. It's trolling cause people can't understanding why people like this movie outside of being a "rip-off" or the special effects. There's a difference between having an opinion and trolling. For example, I really liked Rise of Skywalker, but it would be trolling if I got on here acted like I have no idea why people hate that movie. It's vice versa on here with Avatar ... and in spades. Lastly, being very similar to another movie doesn't affect how I view the quality of a film.
ziexxx
ziexxx - 9/21/2022, 10:44 AM
@Jacory - It's cool that you like it that much. To me the movie was beautiful visually, but story wise not that much so make no mistake: James Cameron is an AMAZING director who made a couple timeless masterpieces such as T2 or Aliens, it's just that James Cameron also talks a lot, TOO much actually, and he reminds me of Zack Snyder in that way, which is not a compliment. But like I said : do you, enjoy the hell out of any movie you like ;)
Jacory
Jacory - 9/21/2022, 6:39 PM
@ziexxx - Damn, you asked a question, and I give you an answer, and you either didn't read it, which is understandable I guess cause it is long, or just skipped it all together. It is what it is. I thought would be interesting to have a discussion, but like you said: do you. Dislike the hell out of any movie or director you like ;)
suitekid
suitekid - 9/20/2022, 10:42 AM
Movies definitely too long which is odd because I don’t recall what happens in all that runtime.
LeonNova
LeonNova - 9/20/2022, 12:48 PM
Movie is long but he did have a point lol
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 9/20/2022, 1:22 PM
On one hand he's right those scenes were pretty cool. On the other he could have trimmed some of the fat and removed any scene that involved dialogue. No one would even notice those missing.
EgoEgor
EgoEgor - 9/21/2022, 6:41 PM
People calling him a megalomanaic. Probably is but I'd do the same shit in his position. Rather director have more say in runtime than execs who just want to make as much profit as possible. Obviously James knows how to tell a story better than them, even if it can be a little derivative.
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