​'Avatar' Sequels Halt Production in New Zealand Due to Coronavirus

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Mar 17, 2020

James Cameron's Avatar sequels are the latest films to halt production amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The production of the first two of four sequels has been stopped in New Zealand as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak.
 
According to Variety, the film's executive team was slated to fly from Los Angeles to Wellington to resume filming on Friday (March 20), but they have now postponed the trip. It's unclear if Cameron is included in that group of people.
 
"We've delayed it. We had plans to come down Friday night with a group of people and start back up and we made the decision to hold off and continue working here (in Los Angeles), and come down there a little bit later than we'd planned," producer Jon Landau told the New Zealand Herald.
 
"We're in the midst of a global crisis and this is not about the film industry," he added. "I think everybody needs to do now whatever we can do, as we say here, to flatten the curve."
 
Cameron is currently helming four sequels to his 2009 Oscar-winning film Avatar.
 
They were delayed by Disney last year, but are currently scheduled for release on December 17, 2021 (Avatar 2); December 22, 2023 (Avatar 3); December 19, 2025 (Avatar 4) and December 17, 2027 (Avatar 5).

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