3 Avatar sequels in the pipeline, to be shot in New Zealand

It has been reported that Titanic director James Cameron is geared up to film three sequels to his 2009 Golden Globe winner Avatar and he has opted for New Zealand as the locale in all the three films.

The sequels will be made consecutively with an estimated production budget of USD 415 million. Live action and visual effects will play important roles in all the three films. The agreement has been officially announced by producer Jon Landau and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. The deal was made public after the government approved in a hike of film tax rebates up to 25 percent from the current rate of 15 percent.

According to the deal at least one certified red carpet premiere will be organized by the government. Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce stated, "The Avatar sequels will provide hundreds of jobs and thousands of hours of work directly in the screen sector as well as jobs right across the economy.” The production units and special effects’ houses of New Zealand have impressed the talented filmmaker a lot and he has been all praises for the same. The 2009 epic sci-fi phenomenon Avatar starred Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana in lead roles and it received huge success worldwide with an estimated total of USD 2.78 billion. It was also shot in New Zealand, though partly.